So this recipe is really just an idea I came up with after looking at this spinach mac & cheese and this butternut squash pasta (that I love love LOVE). I decided to start with a basic creamed spinach recipe that I modified from Pioneer Woman and added roasted butternut squash to come up with this pasta.
I pretty much couldn't stop eating it and I hope you like it as much as I did!!
Spinach & Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
Ingredients
2 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach (you can use 24 oz of fresh but that is much more expensive)
1 medium butternut squash, cubed
2T olive oil
1 stick butter
8oz flour
10oz pasta
2c+ milk
3 cloves garlic
1/4c mozzarella
1/4c parmesan
salt, pepper & nutmeg to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cubed butternut squash on a baking pan and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper & nutmeg. Bake for 20 mins, toss, then bake for 20 more mins.
Thaw and squeeze water out of spinach. Set aside. Boil water and get pasta going. Melt stick of butter in pot and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and heat for 5 mins or until golden brown. Saute garlic until fragrant, then add milk, whisking constantly, and cook until thickened (about 5 mins). Mash butternut squash and add to pot, then add spinach. Stir together and taste, adding salt and nutmeg as needed.
After this is seasoned to your liking add drained pasta and transfer to baking dish. Grate fresh mozzarella & parmesan on top and bake for 25-30 mins. Enjoy!!
