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brown butter spaghetti with roasted butternut squash served on white plate.
5 from 2 votes

Brown Butter Spaghetti

An easy weeknight vegetarian meal. The combination of nutty brown butter paired with sweet butternut squash, earthy baby kale, and umami packed parmesan cheese is unstoppable.
Yield: serves 2-3
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Bake Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3
Calories: 551kcal
Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

  • 6 oz spaghetti
  • 2 cups butternut squash chunks
  • 1 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed or minced
  • 2 small onions sliced, about 2 cups
  • 4 cups baby kale, packed
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino romano
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • additional pecorino romano or parmesan, for serving
  • finely sliced chives, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.  On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out butternut squash.  Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until squash is soft and can be easily pierced with a fork or knife. Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package details. When draining pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, continue to cook over medium low heat until butter has browned and is fragrant (should smell nutty).
  • Add minced garlic (I like to smash mine using a mortar and pestle) and sliced onions. Cook until onions are almost translucent. Add baby kale in two additions. Cook until kale begins to wilt. Remove from heat.
  • Add pecorino romano, parmesan cheese, and roasted butternut squash. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked spaghetti and toss to coat pasta. Add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water at a time until pasta is well coated with sauce. (I ended using 1/2 cup of pasta water).
  • Serve immediately with sliced chives and/or more cheese, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 873mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 19426IU, Vitamin C: 107mg, Calcium: 467mg, Iron: 3mg