(vegan) caramelized red kuri pasta with white wine and olive oil
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Caramelized Red Kuri Squash Pasta Recipe: A savory and surprisingly hearty vegan/vegetarian pasta ready in about 30 minutes (with GF variation).
By:
Makes: 2 very generous (or 4 side) servings
Ingredients
  • 1 T avocado oil
  • 2 T fresh sage, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp crushed red chile flakes
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ red kuri squash, shredded (about 3 cups)
  • 2 heaping T dark brown sugar
  • 2 T good (green and grassy is great here!) extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz short cut pasta, such as rigatoni (feel free to use a brown rice pasta for a GF variation)
Instructions
  1. Peel, seed and shred squash with a box grater (preferred) or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade.
  2. Heat avocado or other light cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sage, thyme and chile flakes and toast until sage is crisp, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add squash, salt, a few good grinds pepper and wine and continue cooking over med-high until liquid is almost gone and squash is tender and beginning to brown in places, about 10-15 mins.
  4. Meanwhile, boil pasta in lightly salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about 1.5 cups pasta cooking water.
  5. Add brown sugar and ½ cup pasta water to squash mixture. Cook down once more until water is reduced and squash is thoroughly cooked and threatening to turn into mush, about 10 mins.
  6. Add pasta to skillet with another ½ cup pasta water and cook until sauce and pasta come together and pasta is al dente, about 5 mins, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if necessary. (If dish is becoming salty, use regular water.) Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, if needed.
  7. Turn off heat and gently stir through olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Inspired by Lindsay! Leftovers are great heated in a flattish layer in the toaster oven, where the pasta and the squash are encouraged to caramelize even more -- or, as Lindsay suggested to me, crisped in a pan with a little more (cheese and) olive oil. ;)

Modifications:
If you're not vegan, follow Lindsay's lead and add in half a cup of grated parm or other Italian cheese with the first round of water (before you add the pasta). Super tasty.
For a gluten-free variation, feel free to sub in brown rice or other GF pasta.
Recipe by the pig & quill at https://thepigandquill.com/vegan-caramelized-red-kuri-squash-pasta/