We love pasta around this house, but having been on an eating challenge for six weeks, we didn’t eat it for awhile. I mostly enjoyed my new way of eating, but this recipe was one that I was anxious to try once I was off my challenge. In fact, we made it the first day back from our challenge! It was delicious and creamy and very flavorful.

Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients
3-4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾” cubes
1 red onion, cut into ½” cubes
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb of pasta, we used rigatoni
8 to 10 oz. of goat cheese, crumbled
5 strips of bacon, diced and cooked to crispy
salt & pepper to taste
¾ cup of reserved pasta water

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425.
Spread out butternut squash and red onion on a baking sheet. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper. Toss to coat and spread out on baking sheet so it is in a single layer.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

In the meantime, heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. {about 4-5 minutes}
Remove bacon from the pan and place on a plate lining with paper towel to soak up some of the grease.

Bring a large pot of water to boiling, add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente {follow directions on the back of the box, usually 8-10 minutes}

Once pasta is done, reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the rest of the water.

Add goat cheese and pasta water to pasta pot and allow the goat cheese to melt completely. Add the pasta and toss to completely coat the pasta and then add in the butternut squash, onions, and bacon and mix gently again. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Adapted slightly from http://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com

Cindy