This vibrant pasta dish is for you if you're craving the comfort food of pasta but wanting something a little more nutritious and healthy. Butternut Squash Kale Pasta is loaded with veggies and perfect al dente fusili (or whatever pasta you like, we don't discriminate). It has pine nuts for crunch and a light lemony flavor. Every bite is a delight.
This dish can be served hot as a dinner side dish (try it with roast chicken or grilled chicken sausage) or served room temperature as a lunch salad.
Jump to:
Why we love this pasta:
- An easy veggie-loaded dinner in 35 minutes. Just look at those colors!
- Keeps well in the fridge and makes a great packed lunch.
- So flavorful!
- Can be customized with different vegetables and proteins.
More veggie-loaded pasta dishes to try: Pesto Pasta with Chicken, Asparagus, and Peas
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta (such as fusilli, rotini, or penne — try using a protein pasta!)
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound butternut quash, peeled and diced to about ¾ inch cubes (3 cups), use store-bought for a shortcut
- 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch kale, washed, large stems removed, and torn into small pieces (6 cups packed kale)
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (packed in oil is best!)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ cup pine nuts (or slivered almonds)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes, for serving
- Fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley, for garnish
More recipes with kale: Easy Kale Salad
Equipment
More easy pasta dinners: Salmon and Orzo One Pot Dinner
Instructions
Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of salted water. Drain and rinse in cold water. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking.
Prep all the vegetables: peel and dice the butternut squash, tear the kale into small pieces, slice the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes.
In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add in the cubed butternut squash and cook for about 10 minutes until soft enough to poke with a fork, stirring occasionally to flip the pieces and brown on multiple sides. Remove the cooked butternut to a bowl.
Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and increase heat to medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly for 4-5 minutes, or until just beginning to go brown on the edges.
Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the kale and cook until wilted but still vibrant, 3-5 minutes. You can cook it longer if you like it softer, but I like it to have a little bite.
Add in the cooked butternut, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until everything is hot, stirring frequently.
Toss cooked pasta with vegetables and add lemon juice. Give it a taste and add more salt if needed. Garnish with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs for serving. Enjoy immediately, or serve as a chilled pasta salad.
More veggie loaded dinners to try: Healthier Baked Eggplant Parm Rounds
Storing leftovers and reheating
This pasta will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can serve it chilled, let it come to room temperature, or reheat it. Leftover pasta might feel a little dry, so add a little olive oil and a splash of lemon juice before serving again, or splash in a tiny bit of chicken broth to "wake it up" again.
More pasta recipes to try: Cheesy Baked Rotini
Kate's cooking tips
- For a time-saving shortcut, buy diced butternut squash, chopped washed kale, and peeled garlic cloves.
- This recipe works really well with diced peeled pumpkin, too.
- Try using a protein pasta for more protein.
- Add protein by cooking diced chicken sausage or Italian sausage along with the onions.
- A few dabs of goat cheese would be fantastic in this pasta.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Butternut Kale Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta such as fusilli or penne
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound butternut quash peeled and diced to about ¾ inch cubes (3 cups)
- 1 large red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch kale washed, large stems removed, and torn into small pieces (6 cups packed kale)
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced (packed in oil is best!)
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ¼ cup pine nuts or slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes for serving
- fresh herbs such as basil or parsley, for garnish
Special equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of salted water. Drain and rinse in cold water. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking.
- Prep all the vegetables: peel and dice the butternut squash, tear the kale into small pieces, slice the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add in the cubed butternut squash and cook for about 10 minutes until soft enough to poke with a fork, stirring occasionally to flip the pieces and brown on multiple sides. Remove the cooked butternut to a bowl.
- Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and increase heat to medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly for 4-5 minutes, or until just beginning to go brown on the edges. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the kale and cook until wilted but still vibrant, 3-5 minutes. You can cook it longer if you like it softer, but I like it to have a little bite.
- Add in the cooked butternut, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until everything is hot, stirring frequently.
- Toss cooked pasta with vegetables and lemon juice. Give it a taste and add salt if needed. Garnish with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs for serving. Enjoy immediately, or serve as a chilled pasta salad.
Video
Notes
- This pasta keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. You might need to add a splash of olive oil, lemon juice, or broth when serving it on day 2 or 3 if it looks dry.
- For a time-saving shortcut, buy diced butternut squash, chopped washed kale, and peeled garlic cloves.
- This recipe works really well with diced peeled pumpkin, too.
- Add protein by cooking diced chicken sausage or Italian sausage along with the onions, or use a protein pasta.
- A few dabs of goat cheese would be fantastic in this pasta.
Kate
Friday 2nd of January 2026
I love the fresh and vibrant flavors of this pasta, and love how there's a bunch of veggies in every bite. I hope you give this pasta a try and like it as much as we do!