For a gorgeous fall pasta, it has to be Farfalle Romesco with Roasted Butternut Squash. This pasta combines smoky romesco with sweet, caramelized roasted butternut squash for a pasta that’s full of all the fall colors. Delicious and easy to make ahead for your next dinner party!
Farfalle Romesco with Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta
Part of romantic entertaining and hosting is an obsession with serving food that doesn’t just taste delicious but is visually beautiful. The dish itself has to be selling romance as much as the table decor. So sometimes, the easiest way to build a dish is by starting with color.
For my Modern Romantic Vegetarian Dinner Party, I wanted the colors of Fall in the food, practically popping off the table. When I landed on the idea of vibrant burnt-orange roasted butternut squash and deeply red romesco sauce, I immediately thought of a New England town in the middle of autumn, with its beautiful shades of changing leaves. Those colors felt quintessentially Fall, and I loved the warmth and richness they brought to the dish.
I decided to bring them together in a vegetarian pasta, tossing farfalle with a roasted red pepper and almond romesco. The roasted peppers give the sauce its deep red color and natural sweetness, while a little smoked paprika adds an underlying smokiness that makes it even more interesting. The butternut squash becomes beautifully caramelized in the oven, with golden edges and a subtle sweetness. I think of the little cubes as jewels scattered throughout the pasta. To finish, I add crunchy toasted almonds, creamy, salty feta, and a sprinkle of fresh basil.
What I love about this combination is the contrast in every bite. The smoky, slightly sweet romesco coats the pasta, the caramelized squash brings another layer of sweetness, and the salty feta and crunchy almonds balance everything out. It’s a satisfying vegetarian main course with plenty of personality.
Serve it in your prettiest serving bowl. This gorgeous pasta dish was born to be shown off!
The Recipe
Farfalle Romesco with Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place the butternut squash cubes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, then add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Using your hands, toss the cubes to make sure all are covered. Spread them out in a single layer and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- While the butternut squash roasts, make the pasta and the romesco. For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook according to the directions on the package. Before draining the pasta, remove 1 cup of starchy water and set aside. Then drain and return to a serving bowl.
- For the romesco, place the roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse until a paste forms. Then slowly stream in the olive oil until a sauce forms but there's still some texture to it. Transfer the romesco to a small bowl and add the salt and pepper.
- Add the romesco plus 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water to the pasta. Toss vigorously to combine, adding more water if needed to loosen. Add in the butternut squash, reserving a few pieces for the top of the pasta to garnish. Once everything is combined, dot the top with feta and the remaining butternut squash. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and torn basil on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Make Ahead Tips and Hosting Notes
- This farfalle is very make ahead friendly. The romesco can be made the day before and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The butternut squash can also be roasted the day before and kept in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, boil the farfalle and make sure to keep some of the starchy pasta water before draining. Then toss the farfalle with the romesco, add in the butternut squash, and use the starchy water to thin it out if necessary. Top with the feta and almonds and serve! This keeps the kitchen work at your dinner party to essentially boiling pasta.
- No feta? Substitute goat cheese or parmesan on top.
- If you would like to add meat to the pasta, chicken or sausage would be a nice addition here. I personally would add prosciutto as well.
- When cutting the butternut squash cubes, I like to keep them fairly small. That allows them to caramelize evenly in the oven.
- You can substitute any short pasta here–rigatoni or orecchiette would work well.
Fall Pasta at its Most Vibrant
My Farfalle Romesco with Roasted Butternut Squash is the perfect main dish to serve as part of my Modern Romantic Vegetarian Dinner Party Menu. The evening starts with a Roasted Grape, Tomato, and Fontina Flatbread that’s so simple and yet truly elegant. Then for dessert, I’m serving Pomegranate and Vanilla Bean Posset which is entirely make ahead and has just a few nods to the holidays around the corner.
If you enjoy this farfalle recipe, you should definitely try my Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta. That would be a delicious vegetarian pasta to add in to this dinner party if you’re expecting a slightly larger group. Or try my Silky Spring Green Pasta with Lemon and Pistachio which is vibrantly green, elegant, and delicious. Make it a pasta party with these recipes!
I love a fall pasta, and this Farfalle Romesco with Roasted Butternut Squash is a true winner. I can’t wait to enjoy it with friends all autumn long.
