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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Roasted Butternut and Kale Pasta Bake

Sweet roasted butternut and peppers tossed with whole-wheat shells in a bright basil-parsley-spinach sauce, layered with creamy ricotta and baked under a golden, bubbling mozzarella top.

Roasted Butternut and Kale Pasta Bake

Ingredients

  • 10½ oz300 gWhole-wheat pasta, drymedium shells
  • 3¼ cups cubed450 gButternut squash, peeledcut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 cup chopped150 gRed bell pepperchopped
  • 4¾ cups chopped100 gKalestems removed, chopped
  • 4 cups loosely packed120 gBaby spinach
  • 1¼ cups leaves30 gFresh basilleaves
  • ⅓ cup chopped20 gFresh parsleyleaves
  • 3 cloves9 gGarlicpeeled
  • ¼ cup chopped30 gWalnuts
  • 2 tbsp30 gLemon juice
  • 3 tbsp40 gOlive oil
  • 1 cup250 gPart-skim ricotta
  • 3½ oz100 gPart-skim mozzarellashredded
  • ⅓ cup grated30 gGrated Parmesan
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • ½ tsp1 gCrushed red pepper
  • 12⅔ cups3,000 gWater

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
  2. On a sheet pan, toss the butternut and bell pepper with half of the olive oil, half of the salt and the black pepper. Roast 20 minutes, until tender and browned at the edges.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water 2 minutes less than the package says. Stir in the kale for the last minute, then drain, saving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
  4. Make the herb sauce: in a blender or food processor, blend the spinach, basil, parsley, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, the remaining half of the olive oil, the remaining half of the salt, the red pepper flakes and half of the parmesan, adding splashes of the saved pasta water until smooth and spoonable.
  5. Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, toss the pasta and kale with the herb sauce and the roasted butternut and bell pepper.
  6. Spread half of the pasta mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish, dot with spoonfuls of the ricotta, then top with the remaining half of the pasta mixture.
  7. Scatter the mozzarella and the remaining half of the parmesan over the top. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
  8. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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