Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Kale, Pine Nuts and Sage Brown Butter

This butternut squash agnolotti is rich, savory and fast enough for a weeknight. The filled pasta cooks gently, then gets tossed with wilted kale, sweet shallot, garlic and a glossy sage brown butter sauce.

A finishing shower of Parmesan and crunchy pine nuts balances the sweet squash filling with salty, nutty flavor in every bite.

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Ingredients

9 ounce Butternut Squash AgnolottiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce KaleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce SageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Pine NutsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot lengthwise. Mince or grate the garlic. Pull the sage leaves from the stems, discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves.
2. Heat a large drizzle of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and about half of the kale. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and another small drizzle of olive oil to the kale mixture. Toss until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the kale mixture to a plate or bowl and set aside.
4. When the water is boiling, add the agnolotti. Reduce the heat slightly so the water stays at a gentle boil. Cook until the pasta is tender and warmed through, 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
5. Return the same large pan to medium heat. Add the butter and chopped sage. Stir as the butter melts and begins to brown, cooking until it smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the drained agnolotti, kale mixture and 0.25 cup reserved pasta water to the pan. Increase the heat to high and let the sauce bubble until reduced by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add another splash of pasta water.
7. Gently stir in half of the Parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
8. Divide the agnolotti and kale between plates. Top with the pine nuts and remaining Parmesan.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

What is agnolotti?

Agnolotti are small filled pasta dumplings from northern Italy. In this recipe, they are filled with butternut squash.

How long should I cook butternut squash agnolotti?

Cook the agnolotti in gently boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender and warmed through.

How do I know when the sage brown butter is ready?

The butter should be melted, beginning to brown and smell nutty. This takes about 2 minutes over medium heat.

Why reserve pasta water?

A little starchy pasta water loosens the sauce and helps the butter and Parmesan coat the agnolotti. Start with 0.25 cup, then add a splash more if the sauce seems dry.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

Yes, this is a vegetarian pasta dish made with butternut squash agnolotti, kale, sage, Parmesan, butter and pine nuts.