Bacon and Butternut Squash Pasta

You know a dish turned out amazing when you are already planning when you'll make it again and you are envious that your boyfriend ended up with the leftovers at his house. Brady and I made the below pasta recipe over the weekend and LOVED it. My mom made this dish a few weeks ago and raved over it so I knew that it was going to be good but it turned out even better then I imagined. There is a little bit of prep work that goes into making this dish but it is so worth it.

This is such a great hearty winter pasta and it's surprisingly under 400 calories. We used the creme fraiche as suggested in the original recipe but I will definitely try using light sour cream next time. They taste so similar that I think it would be an easy swap and make the dish even lighter. I'm telling you, this is a standout recipe and one that I will be making again very soon!

Wish I could say this was my photo but it came from Cooking Light.

Bacon and Butternut Squash Pasta
** adapted from Cooking Light

Serves 6
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

1 large butternut squash, seeds removed, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil 
12 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta 
1 bunch kale, chopped
3 bacon slices 
2 cups onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt, divided 
5 garlic cloves, minced 
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided 
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
1 cup crème fraîche (or light sour cream)
1/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese


Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange cubed squash in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Cook pasta according to directions, till almost al dente, omitting salt. Add kale to pot during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to bacon drippings and cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup broth and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to broth. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in crème fraîche (or light sour cream).

Combine squash, pasta mixture, bacon, onion mixture, and sauce in a large bowl; toss gently. Place pasta mixture in a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.