Butternut Squash Pasta Bake with Thyme

This one isn’t the healthiest of meals, but it’s full of delicious slow baked butternut squash so you’ll be able to taste some goodness amongst all the gooey cheese. I really like this dish as a substitute for a vegetable lasagne, which is time consuming and difficult to cook for just one person. This also is real comfort food for me so use your favourite type of pasta and eat it curled up doing that reading for Monday morning or front of your favourite programme on Netflix!

Shopping List

1 butternut squash

tub of cream cheese

2-3 person portion of pasta (you can eat this throughout the week)

handful pine nuts

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

cheddar cheese

Method

Put the butternut squash (whole) into the oven and bake at 180 degrees for about 45 minutes. Once the squash is cooked, put the pasta in a small saucepan and cover with water, cooking to packet instructions. I usually add a little salt and olive oil, for flavour and to stop the pasta sticking together in clumps.

While the pasta is cooking, cut the squash in half lengthways and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then scoop out the seeds and discard, then scoop the flesh out and add to a small bowl. Use about half the tub of cream cheese and mash together with the squash with a fork until the two ingredients are completely mixed. Then add the leaves from the thyme along with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and take off the heat. Then add the squash mixture to the saucepan and mix thoroughly. Now add the pasta mix to a ceramic baking dish, or any deep tray that can go in the oven. Grate over as much cheese as you like (the more the better…) and sprinkle with extra thyme sprigs and pine nuts.

Bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and all the cheese has melted. Serve on its own, or with a fresh lemony salad.