Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce

Something magical happens to pasta when you combine it with a creamy butternut squash puree, a little Parmigiano Reggiano, leeks, garlic and sage.

I found this out by accident.

This started from a mistake, a butternut squash puree that was far too thin and liquidy.  A very HAPPY mistake!

This is an awesome blender!!

Sauteed leeks and a good quality cheese make this simple savory pasta dish a HUGE success, even if you're not a fan of butternut squash. You'll swear this is full of cream and butter... but it's not. This is perfect for Meatless Mondays, or any night of the week.

It's super easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is very filling. To speed this up, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash. I was craving a thick spaghetti, but any pasta shape would work. Whole wheat of gluten-free pasta would also be great! My family isn't a fan of whole wheat, so I use Ronzoni Smart Taste or Dreamfield's low carb pasta.

And by the way... if you want a chance to win a Blendtec Blender, head on over to Skinny Bits! One lucky winner will have a chance to win this amazing blender (ends October 28th).



Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1/4th of recipe • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7
Calories: 266 • Fat: 3.5 g • Carb: 56 g • Fiber: 9 g • Protein: 9.5 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 97 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 8 oz spaghetti of your choice (use brow rice pasta for gluten-free)
• 1 (1 cup) large leek (white part only)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh shaved parmesan cheese
• 4 sage leaves, sliced thin
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, melt the butter, sauté the leeks and garlic over medium-low heat until soft and golden, about 5 - 6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with with salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin out to your liking. Stir in parmesan cheese and sage and mix in pasta until well coated.

Serve with additional parmesan cheese on the side.