Description
A comforting spaghetti dish with roasted pumpkin, spinach, garlic, chilli, lemon, and crunchy walnuts.
Ingredients
- 200 g / 7 oz spaghetti
- 45 ml / 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
- 2–3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 450 g / 2 cups cubed butternut squash or pumpkin
- 100 g / 3.5 oz spinach
- ½–1 tsp chilli flakes
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 30 g / 1 oz walnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
1. Coat the cubed pumpkin or butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt, and bake at 220°C / 430°F for 25–30 minutes until soft and caramelised, stirring halfway through.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic over low-medium heat, stirring frequently.
3. Add the chilli flakes and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring often.
4. Cook the spaghetti for one minute less than the package directions.
5. Mash half of the roasted pumpkin with a fork or potato masher and leave the remaining half in chunks.
6. Add both the mashed and whole pumpkin to the pan with the garlic and chilli.
7. Add the drained spaghetti and spinach to the pan and toss everything together until the spinach wilts.
8. Season with pepper, lemon juice, additional salt, chilli, and extra olive oil if desired.
9. Serve immediately topped with chopped walnuts and lemon zest.
Notes
Any firm-fleshed pumpkin variety can be used in place of butternut squash.
For a smoother sauce, blend the mashed pumpkin before adding it to the pan.
Use gluten-free spaghetti if required.