Butternut Squash Carbonara
Smoky and slightly sweet butternut squash carbonara.
Category
Main Course
Prep
25 minutes
Cook
40 minutes
Style
American
Technique
Roasting
Diet Friendly
Gluten-Free
Daily recipe · February 24, 2023
A little about this dish
This gluten-free recipe is perfect to warm up chilly evenings. The hero ingredient is butternut squash, which is in season in February, and has a nutty, sweet flavor which pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. The final dish is a balance of flavors with a smoky and slightly sweet taste. The recipe is also vegetarian.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Butternut squash — 1 medium-sized — peeled, cubed and roasted
- Gluten-free spaghetti — 8 oz.
- Bacon — 4 slices — diced
- Onion — 1 small — chopped
- Garlic — 2 cloves — minced
- Egg yolks — 2 large
- Grated parmesan cheese — 1/2 cup
- Smoked paprika — 1 tbsp.
- Olive oil — 1 tbsp.
- Salt — 1 tsp.
- Black pepper — 1/2 tsp.
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🌡️🎛️🍲Preheat the oven to 375°F and roast butternut squash cubes coated in olive oil and sea salt until tender, about 30-35 mins.
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Step 2 — 🍝🍲🧂Cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside, reserving a bit of the cooking water for the sauce.
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Step 3 — 🥓🍳🍲Fry the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
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Step 4 — 🧅🧄🍲Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the same skillet and cook until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Step 5 — 🥚🧀🥣In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and grated Parmesan cheese until well combined.
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Step 6 — 🧂🌶️🥚Add smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the egg mixture, and whisk to combine.
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Step 7 — 🍲🌶️🥓Add butternut squash, bacon, and onion mixture to the egg mixture, and stir to coat everything well.
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Step 8 — 🍝🌶️🧅Add pasta to the skillet with the onion mixture, and toss to coat with the remaining bacon grease. Remove from heat.
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Step 9 — 🥚🥣🍜Pour egg mixture over the pasta and toss quickly with tongs. The sauce will cook and thicken from the heat of the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a few spoonfuls of pasta water to reach the desired consistency.
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Step 10 — 🍝🤲🌿Divide the pasta among the plates, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot.
A final fox tip
For a spicier version, sprinkle some chili flakes over the dish just before serving. For a vegan version, replace bacon with shiitake mushrooms or vegan bacon bits. Kids can help roast the butternut squash cubes and whisk the egg mixture.