Pasta is tossed with roasted winter squash, earthy kale, and a creamy goat cheese sauce to make one fabulous weeknight meal!
penne with butternut squash, kale and goat cheese

Ugh, are we still carb loading?

Actually, no (but how obnoxious would that be?). I made a different pasta on Friday and we both almost gagged. I mean, we still managed to choke down dinner, because, you know, it was still pasta, but the leftovers…don’t judge me, but we may or may not have thrown them out. And The.Boy NEVER lets me throw food out. It was bad.

Rest in peace, spaghetti with tomatillo sauce and goat cheese. Rest in peace.

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Moving on.

This was actually our pre-pre-race dinner as well as our pre-race dinner.

And it was also The.Boy’s pre-race middle-of-the-day I-can’t-go-two-hours-without-pasta snack. He really committed to the whole carb loading thing, whereas I was more like, “Butternut squash is kind of a carb, right?”. #marathonrunnerproblems

My point being, I would like to have eaten bowl after bowl of this but I live with a vulture so when something is super delicious, I never get quite as much as I’d like. And this was super delicious. Roasted kabocha+goat cheese+kale+basil. What is there not to love?

Exactly. Dinner is served.

ANNNNDDDD we are on WEEK TWO of the 12 Weeks of Winter Squash!! Thank you to all the folks who linked up and participated last week and to those you didn’t…well…you have 11 more weeks to get your act together. If you cook up and post something with winter squash in this next week link up here:

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One year ago…Marbled Pumpkin Ginger Tart

Two years ago…Pink Lady Cupcakes, Gorgonzola Dolce, Fingerling Potatoes, Radicchio and Rosemary Pizza

Three years ago…Asian Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing, Indian Spiced Chili in a Winter Squash Bowl

Four years ago…Buttercup Chili, Pumpkin Pie Bars

Penne with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}
 
Pasta is tossed with roasted kabocha squash, earthy kale, and a creamy goat cheese sauce.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 kabocha squash, seeded and cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • 1 onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb penne
  • 4 oz goat cheese
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, leaves removed from stems and torn into strips
  • 1 packed cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the kabocha cubes and onion evenly over the tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, stirring in the kale in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
  4. Toss the pasta and kale with the kabocha squash, onions, goat cheese, and one cup of the pasta water. Stir in the basil and parmesan cheese, adding more water if necessary to make a sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
Adapted from The Food Network
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅙th of recipe

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99 Responses to Penne with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

  1. Oh man, this sounds so good and perfectly creamy from the goat cheese. I want a plate! And my dish for next week is eerily similar. Great minds, my friend…great minds. 😉

  2. Does a baking marathon count as an excuse to carb load? Please say yes because this needs to happen.

  3. I love using squash and kale together, so I know I’d love this dish!

  4. Jessie says:

    Isn’t that terrible when a dish doesn’t turn out as you wanted? We almost never throw out leftovers, but I will admit that the dish I made last night was a total zero. Maybe a negative five. And I had to chuck it; it was that awful.

    But this amazing penne with kale and goat cheese! And squash! It’s like you’ve got all my favorite foods in one dish! Carbo loading has never looked so delicious 🙂

  5. Butternut and goats cheese – is there any finer combination?!

  6. Beth says:

    I might take up running just to have an excuse to carb load meals like this.

  7. Simply Life says:

    haha, I’m definitely the one who hates throwing away leftovers but have had to do it on more than a few occasions (ie. kitchen disasters) 🙂

  8. This looks so creamy and flavoursome with goat cheese. Once Halloween is over, you don’t see any pumpkin or winter squash in the supermarket any more….

  9. Emma says:

    With the excitement of your engagement I completely missed this new squash link-up!
    I’ve just finished a bowl of pasta and squash so am definitely down with the double carbs 🙂

  10. Trisha says:

    Goat cheese is my jam, and I’ll take any excuse to carbo load. 🙂 The healthy kale and butternut squash make this a carbo loading one can feel good about.

  11. Mmmm my boyfriend would go nuts for this! I’ll have to give it a try. Yum!

  12. Goat cheese, pasta, and squash, yes please. Sounds great!

  13. Megan says:

    Definitely a perfect fall dish! I could eat pasta almost any night, but I have to change up what I’m pairing it with. I’m a little sick of red sauce at the moment.

  14. Squash and kale are so freaking good together. I love this pasta!!

  15. i hear you..we have a similar policy at our house too. I love buttersquash alot and tossing them in pasta would be wonderful. I will most likely link up my post for Wednesday here 🙂

  16. Can we carb load all year round? At least there’s kale!

  17. SallyBR says:

    I think I made a similar pasta a few years ago and blogged about it – it is amazing how a recipe can be totally neglected even when it’s awesome, because we are bloggers and we must blog on. 😉

    as to tomatillo and goat cheese pasta – I feel I would fall into the same trap, it sounds “interesting” enough to try it. But I won’t! 😉

  18. cquek says:

    bookmark and going to try out your recipe next week.

  19. Jeanette says:

    This is perfect for this time of year Joanne – what a beautiful combination and so easy!

  20. Carb-loading or not, this pasta sounds like an amazing idea for dinner tonight!

  21. Rachel Cooks says:

    I’m sloooooowly getting on the goat cheese bandwagon but I’m thinking this pasta could completely convert me!!!

  22. Delicious, what a nice combination of ingredients! Love the cheese added to this pasta dish, yummy!

  23. Looks amazing, as always! Love that creamy goat cheese sauce. And the simplicity of these ingredients is awesome. Simple and delicious.

  24. I have everything but the kale in my kitchen right now! May need to stop at the store on my way home from the gym after lab 😉

  25. Monet says:

    Roasted veggies and a goat cheese sauce?? I’m in heaven! I can see why this was hard to keep around the house!

  26. This looks delish and lite Joanne, a perfect weeknight dinner, YUM!

  27. Just last night I told my husband that I was craving goat cheese and needed to use the squash that came in our CSA share last week then, bam! I see this… Perfect. On the menu this week for sure…

  28. Not sure what’s up with you guys, I’d love to eat pasta day after day, after day. I could never get sick of it. Especially this one, sounds amazing!

  29. Lynn says:

    This looks really good – I will definitely try it. I noticed the guy behind me in line at Whole Foods had frozen cubed butternut squash. I’ll use that – an actual butternut squash is so annoying to me that I tend to not make recipes calling for it. (I know – it’s not hard, I’m just pressed for time when dinner is looming – during the week anyway.)

  30. Bea says:

    Oh, this sounds like a fantastic combination. Penne, Kale and Squash – simply divine.

  31. Ashley says:

    Look at all that melty cheese! I’ll load up on these carbs ANY day! 🙂

  32. Monica says:

    You’re right – what’s not to love about this dish! It looks wonderful and I’m sure it more than made up for the other pasta dish.

  33. Haha, wow, I don’t know if I could get sick of carbs…but I can’t say I blame you 😉 Kabocha squash is my fave and this looks delicious!

  34. Kathryn says:

    Oh this does sound really tasty – love the tang of goat cheese in there.

  35. Now, this is going to be actioned for dinner tonight! Loving these flavors. And I kind of feel like Mondays are for carbo loading:)

  36. Pam says:

    It looks delicious! The ground is covered with snow now, here in Chicago and carbs are what’s needed! Great recipe I will be making!

  37. cassie says:

    This is a perfect meal in my opinion. Love the ingredients!

  38. Loving every single thing about this pasta! This is dinner for tomorrow night!

  39. Eileen says:

    Hooray for squash and pasta! I love how this is totally seasonally appropriate while also not requiring hours of work. 🙂

  40. This makes me want to run another race so I can carbo-load and therefore eat this. It sounds (and looks!) amazing 😀

  41. Food blogging is expensive! I’ve decided recipe development is my least favorite part. I really just want to eat. Say, for instance, pasta with butternut squash and goat cheese. Can I get paid for that?

  42. Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says:

    This is one heck of a delightful looking dinner! Love the combination of kale and butternut squash!

  43. this pasta looks so so so good! definitely need to try this!

  44. I don’t run nearly enough to carb load (and I’m o.k. with that 😉 but I could go for a big bowl of this with extra veggies!!!

  45. Goat cheese and squash are my favorite! Yum!

  46. Tracey says:

    I guess I should consider myself lucky that Shane wouldn’t touch this pasta if I made it. I could hoard it all for myself!! And I think I just might 🙂 YUM!

  47. Pasta with goat cheese sounds extra delicious to me. Gosh anything with goat cheese sounds delicious to me. Love the other goodies here too!

  48. Shannon says:

    this looks totally delicious! i wish i was more together to participate… hopefully i can rally!

  49. Emily says:

    Um, yum! This looks amazing!

  50. this pasta sounds awesome. butternut squash AND kale? oh my yum.

  51. perfect winter meal, esp for a blustery day like today!

    umm and have i mentioned how pumped i am for wedding planning posts? bc i am!!!

  52. Hotly Spiced says:

    It’s a very pretty pasta, Joanne with all the lovely shades of green. It looks like a great mid-week meal (or even a pre-race meal!) xx

  53. Kate says:

    It is totally a penne kind of week – and I don’t even have a carb loading excuse. Well, I’m doing a 5k on Saturday, but I don’t usually carb-load for those!

  54. Pam says:

    This is my kind of pasta!

  55. I really need to get with this 12 weeks of winter squash thing….I live for winter squash! Also – nothing wrong with carb loading still. You need to replenish your muscles right?!

  56. You must be reading my mind because I was craving good and new kale recipes today!

  57. Looks so good. Love the combination of ingredients.

  58. Colleen says:

    I’m loving all of these squash recipes now that it actually feels like fall!

  59. What’s not to love indeed! And given this fuelled your marathon that ended so spectacularly, I hope it makes it onto high rotation in your household 😉

  60. bellini says:

    Yes I can see where this dish would be inhaled Joanne.I love that your fiancee is becoming vegetarian.

  61. ramblingtart says:

    Oh Joanne, this sounds exquisite. 🙂 So creamy and nourishing. 🙂

  62. Kristi says:

    I haven’t quite jumped on the butternut squash wagon this year. I think the thought of cutting one of those bad boys open has made me content with not having it just yet. Your pasta looks really good, and I would eat it, if I didn’t have to cut the squash open.

  63. tigerfish says:

    Kabocha squash is my favorite squash! I like how you roast the onions with squash and cook the kale with pasta. It makes the entire dish so much easier to prepare/cook.

  64. Katerina says:

    My husband and my son are huge fans of pasta! I am sure they would love this!

  65. daphne says:

    LOL any reason I say! I havent had carbs for ages BUT would love to have this as a roast vege salad. oooo..goats cheese here I come.

  66. Barbara says:

    Fabulous dish, Joanne. I love a whole wheat pasta, so would substitute that. The goat cheese is perfect here.
    (Added a linky)

  67. patsy says:

    I adore pasta, but a couple of the people in my family would rather have any other type of carb instead. Since I only make it once a week or so, it’s not something we get tired of, but then we aren’t carb-loading for a marathon like you guys! Looking forward to more squash recipes!

  68. Abby says:

    This is a win for sure. Winter was made for carb loading, bring it on!

  69. umm I think you are allowed to carb load because you run 200 miles a week?
    is that right or is it 300?
    I never know.
    and I should be allowed to carb-load because I’m tired from you running all these marathons!
    😉

  70. danielle says:

    Love this – pinned it and definitely making!

  71. Yay for kale getting more love! And with butternut squash! I’d carbo load on this any day.

  72. Victoria says:

    This looks awesome! It’s funny, I have a penne with squash dish on my list to do for 12 Weeks of Winter Squash (which unfortunately I think I have to sit out of this week, sigh), but it’s totally different from this version. I bet the goat cheese and kale are just awesome with the sweet squash. Really well done 🙂

  73. Winter squash and goat cheese go so well together! Love the addition of kale too. I also love butternuts with brie. Will be doing some variation of this for sure this fall. Looks great!

  74. This pasta is exactly what I want for dinner tonight. Pinned!

  75. So need this for dinner! Kale is my fave. And somehow I’ve never had kabocha. How is that possible?

  76. if only I was having a big bowl of this for tonight! Girl- crazy is the right word- it looks crazy good!

  77. I bought Kale for the very first time and I have yet to try it. Can’t wait. I love the combo of pasta and greens.. so healthy with all those carbs. 🙂

  78. This dish is gorgeous! I love the combination of flavors going on.
    pinned!

  79. Susan says:

    Wait so are you saying I can’t carb load when I’m not running a marathon because I think I have a problem.

  80. Christina says:

    I really need an excuse to carbo load!

  81. Sammie says:

    Hi Joanne! You never cease to impress me with your delightful recipes, photos and hilarious style in writing! Hope it was a good marathon!

  82. Reeni says:

    I kind of love everything in here! The melty goat cheese, the squash, the chewy pasta and the earthy kale! Can you tell I’m imagining myself eating it? If wishes could come true.

  83. I love pastas like this, so full of flavor and yumminess.
    Can’t get enough of carbs, just made a huge batch of pumpkin rolls and ate everything in 2 days..

  84. Such deliciousness. Exactly the kind of thing I love to eat in the autumn.

  85. Johanna GGG says:

    delicious – reminds me I think I have some pumpkin buried in my fridge crisper – must dig out and give it some love

  86. Heather M says:

    This looks AND sounds yummy. “Friday’s”? Not so much.

  87. rika@vm says:

    I love creamy penne pasta dishes – my favorite sauce is the creamy vodka and with panko breadcrumbs topping. Love the addition of butternut squash and kale 🙂

  88. This pasta is beautiful!! It is happening as soon as I get home.

  89. What a lovely penne! I love all of the flavors in this!

  90. Cool! Twelve weeks of winter squash is a blog hop I can get behind, I’ll have to contribute soon. Roasted kabocha squash is good stuff– I only figured out this fall that kabochas can be either green or orange.

  91. I adore goat cheese and this pasta looks scrumptious! Love this Joanne!

  92. […] Source: Adapted slightly from Joanne Eats Well With Others. […]

  93. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    This is an ideal flavor combination for me 🙂 this looks so delicious!!

  94. Jillian M says:

    I cheated and used bagged butternut squash. The squash turned completely to mush unfortunately. The meal was still delicious, but I think that next time it’s worth the struggle of trying to cut the squash up! Thanks for sharing, this was great.

  95. Maris says:

    This looks so good and fall-like. Even though the weather in Chicago is quite winter-like, it looks so tasty!

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