Butternut Kale Pasta with White Wine Cashew Cream

Butternut Kale Pasta with White Wine Cashew Cream

Thank you all for your sweet comments on instagram and here on the blog about the new website! I'm thrilled and I hope you all continue to enjoy the blog and all the new features. I love the Dish up a Vegetable section which will continue to evolve over the months-- I launched the site with just the core veggies that I adore and will continue to add more as we move along. So again, thank you all for being here and continuing to follow us along on our farming and cooking journey! Alright, onto this pasta! This dish is just what our bodies have been craving after the long holiday weekend. We've been busy winterizing the farm and are still harvesting quite a bit considering the time of year and the crazy stormy weather. Snow is on the way and I can't believe we're almost in December. Pinch me! Thankfully, the kale is thriving and the barn is stocked with plenty of winter squash so this pasta was a no brainer. The white wine cashew sauce is spoon worthy and pairs really well with the sweet butternut squash and earthy kale. I hope you all love this simple weeknight dinner as much as we do. Pour a glass of wine and dig in!

Butternut Pasta with White Wine Cashew Cream

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

White Wine Cashew Cream Sauce
  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and drained)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc is great here!)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt + pepper to taste
Pasta
  • 1 butternut squash (or other sweet winter squash) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1 bunch of kale, torn into bite size pieces (tough stems removed)
  • 1 pound spaghetti or noodle of choice
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Place the drained cashews in the bowl of a high speed blender and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 7-10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture until most of the liquid evaporates, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic & wine mixture to the blender with the cashews. Add the lemon juice and 3/4 cup of water. Blend on the highest setting until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and add more water a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. The sauce should be the consistency of a thick (pourable) cream. Taste test and add additional seasonings if necessary.
  5. Toss the cubed butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Toss halfway through baking.
  6. In a large bowl massage the torn kale leaves with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the kale turns bright green and tender. Set aside.
  7. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
  8. Toss the pasta with the butternut squash, kale and half of the cashew cream sauce. Add a little of the reserved cooking liquid if the pasta seems too dry. Taste test and continue to add more sauce as needed.

Notes

*Store extra sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days *Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary

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