What will the consistency be like?

Think of this like a pasta bake or pasta "casserole". The dry pasta is cooked in a broth, studded with ricotta. It is not a "saucy" pasta dish.

Can this be made vegan?

I have not attempted to make this vegan- but I'm sure it can be converted. Try this with our Tofu Ricotta and use vegan Mozzarella. Perhaps a bit of nutritional yeast in the broth too.

Can this be made ahead?

Yes, it can be made ahead, and reheated in a 350F oven, covered.

Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash and Kale

Name: Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Kale, Sage and Pecans
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil (or use 1/2 butter); 1 red onion,diced; 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped; 3-4 cups butternut squash, peeled, diced into 3/4 inch cubes; 1-2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 bunch lacinato kale, thick stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces.; 3 cups veggie broth or chicken stock ( I used water with 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon paste); Salt and pepper to taste; 8 ounces dry pasta- penne, ziti, rigatoni, etc. ( about 3 1/4 cups); 16 ounces whole milk ricotta; 3-4 ounces fresh burrata or mozzarella cheese ball, or sub grated mozzarella; 1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan; 1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Description

This No-Boil, Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Kale, Sage and Pecans can be made in one pan, with 30 minutes of hands-on time before baking in the oven. A cozy vegetarian dinner, perfect for fall. Pasta is cooked in a broth- studded with ricotta- so more like a baked pasta “casserole”.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 tablespoons olive oil (or use 1/2 butter)
1 red onion,diced
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
3–4 cups butternut squash, peeled, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
1–2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bunch lacinato kale, thick stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces.
3 cups veggie broth or chicken stock ( I used water with 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon paste)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces dry pasta- penne, ziti, rigatoni, etc. ( about 3 1/4 cups)
16 ounces whole milk ricotta
3–4 ounces fresh burrata or mozzarella cheese ball, or sub grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan
1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F
In a large, 12-inch, oven-proof skillet or braiser, saute onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Add garlic, butternut squash, sage, and salt, lower heat to medium, and saute for 5 minutes, until about halfway cooked. Stir in nutmeg and kale, saute for 1-2 minutes until slightly wilted. Scoot this all to a plate and set aside.
To the same pan, pour in the broth and pasta and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
Season the broth with salt and pepper – you want this to taste quite flavorful. Spoon in half of the butternut-kale mixture over the pasta.
Spoon the ricotta over the top in dollops, scatter with burrata (cut it up a bit) or mozzarella.
Cover with the remaining butternut/kale mixture, arranging it a bit. Tuck any pasta that has risen, underneath to ensure it cooks properly.
Sprinkle with pecorino and crushed nuts.
Cover tightly with a lid, or use parchment and foil (parchment will prevent foil from touching food) and place in the 400F oven for 25 minutes. You must have a tight seal here for the pasta to cook.
Uncover, tuck any pasta that has risen, down underneath so it softens, and continue baking until golden, 12-15-more minutes.

Notes

Leftovers reheat great and will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Calories: 501
Sugar: 7.1 g
Sodium: 684.4 mg
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 10.2 g
Carbohydrates: 51.1 g
Fiber: 4.8 g
Protein: 20.6 g
Cholesterol: 52.7 mg