Creamy Delicata Squash & Miso Spaghetti
Fall has officially arrived, and as much as I’m mourning the tragic disappearance of our collective summer produce faves (I’m looking at you, heirloom tomatoes…) I couldn’t be more excited about the abundance of cool-weather veggies that have begun to pop up in markets. I’m a squash fanatic, through and through, and winter squash is just about as good as it gets. Lots of folks see bins of squash laying around and are intimidated by the variety or shapes, sizes, and colors — you know those long, yellow-y, striped ones? That’s delicata squash, which is a Fall must-have and absolutely perfect for this recipe.
Delicata squash differs from other winter squash varieties due to it’s super tender, thin, and “delicate” skin — meaning you can eat the tender flesh and soft skin together! A squash miracle. When I’m not preparing delicata squash for this specific recipe, I’ll slice it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then slice it into thin half moons, skin and all. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper, roast, and bam. The easiest winter squash preparation ever!
For this delicata squash recipe, I prepare it just like I would any other squash (like acorn or even spaghetti squash): slice in half, scoop out the seeds, season and roast until tender.
Once it’s had a chance to cool slightly, you can easily scoop out the creamy flesh, which is perfectly paired with white miso. The velvety, roasted delicata squash and salty-funky miso combine to form a luscious, glossy sauce that somehow doesn’t differ all that much from an alfredo. Yes, that’s correct. Even in the absence of cups upon cups of heavy cream, you could definitely trick some folks into thinking this pasta dish is loaded with dairy when it’s, in fact, not! If you’re looking to make this recipe vegan, it’s as simple as swapping in vegan butter.
Next time you see that intimidating barrel of winter squash at the store, do yourself a huge a favor and dive in for some delicious delicata squash, then make this recipe. If you grab more than your fair share, this is an excellent sauce to make a gigantic batch of then freeze until your next pasta craving hits — which, for me, is every other day.
(Sorry, I meant daily.)
Creamy Delicata Squash & Miso Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds delicata squash
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 5 scallions, whites & greens separated
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp. white (Shiro) miso
- Olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, separated
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Slice each squash in half, lengthwise, then scoop out and discard seeds (or save them for roasting!). Set on a parchment-lined sheet pan, drizzle the flesh with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, cut-side-down, until very soft and golden brown on the bottom — approximately 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- While squash roasts, set a large pot of heavily salted water over high heat and cover. Roughly chop scallion whites, then peel and roughly chop garlic. Set a small skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp. butter, chopped scallions, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant but not browned, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- When squash has cooled, add pasta to your boiling water and cook one minute shy of al dente. Reserve 3 cups of your starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta in a colander.
- While pasta is boiling, carefully scrape the flesh of the squash away from the skin, and add to blender along with the miso, sautéed scallion mixture, and 1.5 cups of your reserved pasta water. Blend until completely smooth, around 1 minute. Add splashes of pasta water if necessary to get things moving.
- Add the miso-squash sauce and the drained pasta back to your pasta pot, and gently toss over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce. If the sauce starts to become too thick, add splashes of pasta water to thin it a bit. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. cold butter and a final splash of pasta water. Toss until the sauce is glossy and creamy and the butter has melted.
- Serve immediately and garnish with thinly-sliced scallions and lots of freshly-cracked black pepper.