Creamy Squash Fettuccine with Caramelized Onion and Pancetta

As seen on

pinch of yum

Total Time

45 minutes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Rating

(16)

Ingredients

3-4 servings

1 1/2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (see notes)
Swish of olive oil + sprinkle of salt
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 small clove garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (honestly, it’s delicious with or without the cream – your choice)
2–3 ounces pancetta, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, thinly sliced into half moons
A few sage leaves (optional)
8 ounces fettuccine or pappardelle (half a box)
Freshly grated parmesan for topping

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Preparation

Inline ingredients (beta)

Cook mode

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Step 1

Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange squash on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and a little salt. Add thyme sprigs. Roast for 20-30 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Step 2

Fry the pancetta: Meanwhile, fry pancetta bits in a skillet until crispy and browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.

Step 3

Caramelize the onion: Turn the heat down and let the pan cool for a moment. Add the onion to the pancetta grease. Sauté for 20-30 minutes (while you’re waiting for the squash to roast) until soft, fragrant, and caramel-colored. (Optional: after you remove the onions, fry the sage right in the same pan.)

Step 4

Cook the pasta: While you wait on the onions and squash, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Step 5

Blend the squash sauce: Transfer squash to a blender (removing thyme sprigs). Puree the squash with the broth, garlic, and salt until smooth.

Step 6

Almost there: Place your cooked pasta in your onion pan over medium low heat. Pour squash sauce over pasta. Toss gently with cream and about half of the onions. It should be looking real good right now.

Step 7

Serve it up all fancy: Plate up the pasta. Top with caramelized onions, pancetta, sage, and fresh Parmesan. Are you at a restaurant? YOU ARE TOTALLY AT A RESTAURANT. Mwah!

Chef’s notes

Squash:

In my experience, 1 butternut squash yields about 3 cups of cubed, peeled squash. This means you’ll need about half of a butternut squash for this recipe. I usually just go ahead and roast the entire squash, reserving the 1 1/2 cups for this recipe and saving the other half of roasted squash for easy and kid-friendly meal prep! I like to throw it in salads, soups and stews, curries, etc.

Save time on onion prep with this [guide](https:

//pinchofyum.com/how-to-cut-an-onion) on how to cut an onion.

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Skill Level

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Creamy Squash Fettuccine with Caramelized Onion and Pancetta

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Chef’s notes

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