Butternut Squash Ricotta Pasta with Ground Beef
This Butternut Squash Ricotta Pasta with Ground Beef is the high protein and cozy fall dinner of your dreams.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 5-6 cups cubed butternut or honeynut squash peeling makes the sauce smoother but you don't need to peel it
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika regular paprika also works
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cloves garlic
- ~.5 oz sage i used half of a 1 oz plastic container, so about 4 stalks of sage
- 1 shallot - peeled
- ½ cup ricotta
- 1 ¾ cup chicken bone broth can sub regular chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water or sub additional broth
- 1 teaspoon jarred calabrian chili peppers or ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- optional additional salt/pepper to taste i did not need any, taste and adjust to your saltiness preference
Beef
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon jarred calabrian chili peppers or sub ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Other ingredients
- ~¾ lb rigatoni - cooked make sure to cook it in heavily salted water
- chili flakes for topping
- parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add butternut squash to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone. Toss squash in oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and nutmeg.Add garlic cloves, sage and shallot to the same sheet pan.Bake for 10-15 minutes and then remove the sage and set aside. Bake for another 10-15 minutes and remove garlic once browned. Remove squash and shallot once fork tender and browned. I baked my squash and shallot for 35 minutes total.
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium high heat and cook until the butter browns, this will only take a few minutes. Add beef and break apart with a spatula. Add seasoning, chili peppers and maple syrup. Cook until beef is browned, this will take about 8 minutes. Try not to touch the beef too often so it browns.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Toss together pasta, beef, and sauce over low heat in the same skillet you cooked the beef in.
- Divide out and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
If your pasta sauce comes out thicker than you would like you can add more broth or more pasta water either when you blend it or when you toss the sauce together with the pasta and beef.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 27gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1071mgPotassium: 858mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 15268IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 169mgIron: 4mg
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