Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Do you still have that leftover butternut squash from yesterday? Feeling guilty about wasting it?...

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Do you still have that leftover butternut squash from yesterday? Feeling guilty about wasting it?

Well, if you haven’t made one of those amazing recipes that I posted up yesterday, then get your butt to the grocery store and pick up the items for today’s dish, because it’s all sorts of wonderful!

Frankly, butternut squash is pretty magical. When you cut it open, deseed it, chop it up into cubes and get it ready to be roasted, it has absolutely no smell or flavor. Unless you’ve eaten it before, you could never know that it will end up tasting as luxuriously smooth and sweet as it does once roasted.

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

I would actually love to see someone’s YouTube reaction video when having roasted butternut squash for the first time. I bet there would be a lot of “But how?!”s and “I would have never guessed?!”s and “What is this Tom Foolery – is this a trick?!”s It’s just that good.

It’s funny how we go the whole spring and summer without having this vegetable and then boom! fall hits and that’s all we can think about, as if our taste buds were reborn and we had forgotten it existed. Honestly, it’s hard to think that from May to September, I don’t eat butternut squash. How did I live?!

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Alas, we’re here, it’s fall, and it’s time to eat some serious butternut squash.

The best part about this savory zucchini pasta is that it’s packed with loads of healthy natural sugars that result in a seriously addicting bowl of “pasta.”

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

The wheat berries offer a comforting fluffiness to the dish, while the apricots (after being heated in the skillet) add a subtle bit of sweetness to the zucchini noodles. The creaminess that’s created with the cheese paired with the rich flavors of the roasted butternut squash, this bowl is heavenly. I have a feeling I’ll be using this as a “go-to” fall dish….

IMG_0714 copy

Remember, zucchini is made year-round, so don’t fret… it’s okay to eat it in the winter! I figured I’d say that in case you are struggling with the “but it’s not on any of the winter lists of produce!” Thank gosh for the revolving sun, eh?”

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients

  • 1 large zucchini Blade C
  • 1/2 cup cubed butternut squash
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil + more for drizzling
  • 2 tbsp wheatberries
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup kale
  • 4 apricots roughly chopped
  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese + more for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 405 degrees. On a baking tray, add in the butternut squash. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the butternut squash for 25 minutes.
  • While the butternut squash is cooking, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Once the water boils, add in the wheatberries. Bring to a boil again and then let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the wheatberries are fluffy and the water has evaporated. Set aside once done.
  • Five minutes before the butternut squash is done roasting, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the tbsp of olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes or until the kale is mostly wilted.
  • Add in the zucchini noodles, season with pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes or until zucchini softens. Add in the cheese, apricots and stir to combine. Cook for another minute and then plate into a bowl.
  • Top with wheatberries and butternut squash. Garnish with additional cheese and enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

IMG_0712 copy

IMG_0710 copy

Roasted Butternut Squash Zucchini Pasta with Kale, Apricots and Wheatberries

 

with love, Ali

leave a comment

Recipe Rating




comments

  • Hi, I am gluten/grain sensitive and need to have a wheatberry substitute. Any ideas? I would love to try this recipe! Thanks.
    • Laura - thanks for your question! Of course... instead of wheatberries you could throw in some crushed pecans for that crunch or chickpeas.... you could even make some gluten-free bread croutons or breadcrumbs! Good luck, I'm glad you like the recipe.
      • Thank you, Alissandra! Good suggestions. I can't wait to try it! Yum!!!
    • Heaven!!!!!
  • I need to go buy butternut squash right now ! Although I've eaten it several times before, I've never roasted it myself. Need to change that. That bowl looks so delicious.
    • It's SO easy to roast and honestly tastes so much better (and healthier!) when you do it yourself... good luck, thanks for the comment!
  • So glad that you commented on my blog so that I could over here and discover yours! :) I am SO amazed by how many amazing dishes you have been able to create with your spiralizer--seriously, you are quite the genius.
    • Laura - that seriously 100% just made my day/morning/week. Thank you so so much - I'm a big fan of your blog, you make beautiful recipes and I love your writing. Thanks so much, I hope you come back! :)
  • That should be a John Stewart skit...candid camera-ing people's faces when they tried butternut squash for the first time. I love it. This might be my favorite bnut dish you posted so far! The apricots are unexpected...but also sound so good.
    • Thanks, girl! As the apricots warm in the skillet with the zucchini, it adds a little sweet tang to the noodles, so when you're eating them, they're the perfect balance of savory and sweet (esp with the salty parmigiano-reggiano)... can't tell an Italian girl NOT to add parm. :)
  • Ali, this looks incredible! I'm a huge butternut squash fan and I neeeed one of those spiral machines. What brand do you have? P.S. Those owl shakers are precious!
    • Caroline - thanks so much for commenting! I love your blog, first of all. I'm Bloglovin'/stalking you all the time! As for the spiralizer, you can find the link to the machine I prefer/use on my 'Shop' page (I get $0.85 if you buy it from me through Amazon - wahoo!) .... Thanks about the owl shakers, I got them in Park City, Utah after I met a wonderful woman who sent her condolences to my state after Hurricane Sandy - you can see the story behind them here: http://www.inspiralized.com/2013/09/22/2563/
  • Made this with feta instead of parmesan, it was heavenly!!!
  • This sounds yum, I love pumpkin, and I even bought some kale for the first time today! Should I use fresh or dried apricots?
  • Hello blogger, i must say you have high quality articles here. Your page can go viral. You need initial traffic only. How to get it? Search for: Mertiso's tips go viral