Angel Hair Pasta with Squash and Kale

Jump to Recipe

We’re tossing roasted butternut squash, kale, parmesan cheese, lemon, garlic and butter with angel hair pasta. Then sprinkling it with a crunchy pecan-panko-zesty crumb topping.

Wonderful flavor combination. Great textures. Big bold colors. Delicious recipe. Serve the pasta as one of your meatless meals or as a side dish.

pasta with squash, kale, butter sauce and crumb topping 3

My sister Kathy introduced me to this dish when she brought it to a family pot luck. We all scarfed it down and gave it two thumbs up. My other sister Mindy thought it had similar tones to our lemon pasta with shrimp in 30 minutes (her fave).

The recipe comes from Bon Appetit. When I reviewed it later that night, I was a bit disheartened as it looked too fussy.

If you’re not a stranger to our blog, you’ll know that I am a huge believer in getting from point A to B as quickly and easily as possible to get great results.

So I simplified a couple of steps, cutting the cooking time down and figuring out the shortcuts I could use without compromising taste. I also cut down the butter from the original recipe.

The end result? Good! because…

The sweet caramelized roasted butternut squash pairs beautifully with the lemony, buttery, cheesy sauce.
The pecan-panko crumbs add a lot to the dish – don’t skip them.
The contrasting orange and green colors are stunning.
And I can add it to my rotation of healthy meals packed with fiber, vitamin A and C, potassium, calcium and iron.

It’s a pretty easy recipe with just 4 steps even though the ingredients list is still a bit long:

Roast the squash in the oven (can be done ahead)
Boil the angel hair pasta (or any spaghetti) along with the kale.
Toast the pecans, panko and lemon zest on the stovetop in a pan (can be done ahead)
Combine the butter, lemon juice, pasta water and seasonings then toss in the pasta, kale and squash. Add topping and serve.

FAQ – good to know

What is angel hair pasta?

Angel hair pasta is fine, thin, long strands of delicate pasta. It’s also called capellini. Good substitutes are vermicelli and spaghettini.

What does ‘al dente’ mean when cooking pasta?

Al dente – literally ‘to the tooth’ – means the pasta is cooked to a point that is still firm to the bite. Most recipes will say to cook the pasta al dente, but in truth, this is personal preference. The only way to know if your pasta is cooked al dente or any other way you like it is to taste a strand periodically while it’s cooking.

Is kale healthy?

Yes, very. It’s high in nutrients (particularly vitamin A, K and C) and very low in calories according to Healthline. A super food.

Is butternut squash healthy?

Yes. Healthline says butternut squash is low in calories and high in many nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium.

pasta with squash, kale, butter sauce and crumb topping 1

Tailor To Your Taste

Here are a few substitutes and variations to try.

Pasta substitutes: Any long thin pasta will do – angel hair pasta (regular or whole wheat), capellini, spaghettini, spaghetti, linguini. In fact shorter pasta like bow ties or penne are fine too.
Kale substitutes: If you don’t have or like kale, try chard, baby or regular spinach or collard greens (spring greens in the UK).
Butternut squash substitutes: acorn squash, buttercup squash, hubbard squash or delicata squash.
Nut substitutes: Instead of chopped pecans, try hazelnuts, walnuts. pine nuts or almonds.
Seasoning: Feel free to add red pepper flakes or chili flakes for some heat or fresh herbs like fresh basil, thyme or oregano.
Toasting crumbs: Instead of toasting them on the stovetop (as per the recipe), you can toast them in the oven. Instructions are in the recipe notes.

How to make this angel hair pasta recipe with squash and kale

pasta, squash, kale, parmesan, butter, garlic, seasonings, lemon, pecans, panko — Ingredients: pasta, squash, kale, parmesan, butter, garlic, seasonings, lemon (zest and juice), pecans, panko

spaghetti and kale in boiling water in pot — _{Roast the squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. While it’s roasting, boil the angel hair pasta and kale in a large skillet, large sauté pan or pot with a teaspoon salt or more in the water. RESERVE some pasta water, then drain in a colander.}

spaghetti and kale drained in colander — _{Roast the squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. While it’s roasting, boil the angel hair pasta and kale in a large skillet, large sauté pan or pot with a teaspoon salt or more in the water. RESERVE some pasta water, then drain in a colander.}

toasted panko, pecans, zest in pan — Toast crushed pecans and panko in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Add lemon zest and oil.

lemon butter garlic sauce in pot — _{In the same pasta pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Then add 1/2 cup of pasta water (118 ml), lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth. Add cooked pasta, kale and squash and toss well to combine and pasta cooks through. Adjust seasonings and add more pasta water if needed.}

pasta with squash kale and sauce in pot — _{In the same pasta pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Then add 1/2 cup of pasta water (118 ml), lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth. Add cooked pasta, kale and squash and toss well to combine and pasta cooks through. Adjust seasonings and add more pasta water if needed.}

pasta with squash, kale, butter sauce and crumb topping p2 — Sprinkle with parsley or other fresh herbs and black pepper. Top with pecan-panko crumbs and serve.

Shortcuts

Buy pre-cut butternut squash. This is the best shortcut as peeling and cutting squash is hard. If you are using a whole squash, I suggest piercing it a few times and softening it in the microwave for 4 minutes before peeling and dicing.
Line your pan with parchment when roasting the butternut squash. One less pan to wash.
Buy pre-washed and de-stemmed cut up kale.
Use frozen crushed garlic cubes or garlic from a jar instead of chopping fresh garlic cloves.

What to serve with squash and kale angel hair pasta

Serve it as a simple side dish with maple glazed salmon or juicy grilled pork chops.

Or as a vegetarian main dish with a side salad. Last week I served a ramekin of instant pot French onion soup before the pasta. Fab.

Make Ahead

The best way to eat this pasta recipe is fresh. But there are two things you can make several hours ahead or a day ahead.

the toasted panko-pecan-zest topping
the roasted butternut squash (rewarm it in the microwave before tossing with the pasta)

Other vegetarian pasta dishes you might like

2 Comments

Karyn says:

November 20, 2021 at 12:28 pm

Lots of steps but well worth the effort. Will definitely make this again!

1. Cheryl says:
  
  November 20, 2021 at 12:32 pm
  
  You’re right Karyn. A little fussier than most of our other recipes (even with cutting down a couple of steps from the original recipe), but glad you thought it was worth it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.