Here’s a Great Way to Use All That Squash

My seasonal go-to for a vegetable that’s not my favorite

Photo: Kate Bittman

For the last few years, every time winter squash appears, I’ve pretty much immediately made Bittman’s Pasta With Winter Squash and Tomatoes recipe. Aside from delicata, which I absolutely love, I’m not the biggest fan of squashes, so I’m always looking for new, inoffensive ways to incorporate them.

This recipe is easy — the peeling and chopping of the squash is the most tedious part, as it tends to be for squash recipes — and super hearty; plus, the pasta-to-vegetable ratio is kinda crazy, and it works. It’s 2 pounds of squash, plus a couple of cups of chopped tomatoes, for just a half a pound of pasta, and it easily serves four. I made it last night; note that I screwed up my canned tomatoes and used crushed instead of diced (definitely not as pretty; also more delicious the right way). So use diced if you can—but you could also use whole peeled and just mash them up with your hands a little.

Pasta With Winter Squash and Tomatoes

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• ¼ cup sliced shallots
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1½–2 pounds peeled, cubed, or shredded butternut or other winter squash, about 5 cups
• ½ pound cut pasta, like ziti or penne
• Freshly chopped parsley or parmesan for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots, and pepper flakes and cook for about a minute; add tomatoes and squash, and cook with some salt and pepper.
2. When squash is tender — about 10 minutes for shreds, 15 or so for small cubes — cook pasta until it is tender. Combine sauce and pasta and serve, garnished with parsley or parmesan.