I’m sure many of you have seen that BuzzFeed video that’s been floating around Facebook this past week, via Tasty.
Well as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it. Butternut squash is by far my favorite kind of squash and all around Fall comfort food to eat. There’s just something about the rich and yet so smooth creaminess, that this sweet and savory squash has. So whenever I come across a new and interesting approach to using this vegetable.
I made it tonight and let me tell you, our family LOVED it. Like bowl-liking-kinda loved it! And it’s one of those dishes that at the core of it, it doesn’t need to be tweaked at all. It’s just really that good. Next time though, I would make a few modifications. It calls for 2 tbsp of brown sugar that I would substitute for probably honey or stevia, to try to make it a bit healthier. I didn’t notice a distinct brown sugar flavor but I did find it a tad sweet, so that’s why I wouldn’t mind trying to cut back on the sugar and change it out to a more natural source. I would probably add a little bit of garlic. I mean, really, who doesn’t add garlic to almost every dish?! It’s just so good! I think it would bring out all the flavors even more. And I would add a little more nutmeg! And definitely don’t forget the cayenne at the end! Maybe skip the kids bowls, but for the grown-ups palates, it adds such an awesome little kick!
- 3 cups diced butternut squash (about 1/2 - 3/4 of the squash)
- 1 cup of vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary
- 1 tbsp Fresh Sage
- 4 cups Low-fat Milk, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar (or honey/stevia)
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups Water
- 1 box Fettuccine noodles (approx 16oz)
- Heat stock pot or dutch over or medium heat
- Add butter and melt it.
- Add in onion, Rosemary and Sage. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat until onions soften.
- Then cook on medium-high heat until the butter begins to brown (be careful not to burn it).
- Add in butternut squash and vegetable stock, stir, then cover and cook for 15 minutes (until butternut squash is softened).
- Uncover and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of milk and stir.
- Then, add 1 cup of parmesan and stir.
- Add 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and stir until well blended.
- Then, break fettuccine noodles in half and place in the sauce. Carefully cover the noodles with sauce.
- Pour in 2 more cups of milk and water. Stir. (Add more water, if needed, to smooth out the sauce.) Stir the pasta continuously (to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot) and cook for 15-20 minutes (or until pasta has reached desired texture).
- Top off with salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, rosemary garnish, and cayenne pepper (if you’d like a little extra spice). Enjoy!
