Here we have the creamy comfort of mac n’ cheese; the flavor and decadence of a five-star meal; the ease of a busy weeknight dinner; and a wholesome balance of protein, fiber, nutrient-rich veggies, and cheeeeese (which I appropriately place in its own category of health food).
The sauce is just a blend of roasted butternut (which adds a hint of sweetness, thickness, creaminess, nutrients and lightens up on calories), roasted onion and garlic, milk of your choice, salt and pepper, and pasta water as needed. (The starchiness of the water also acts as a thickener 👍.)
Meanwhile, cook the bacon (I use turkey bacon) then mushrooms, more garlic, a sprinkle of dried Herbs de Provence, and spinach until tender and fragrant. Mix in the butternut sauce, al dente linguine, more pasta water as needed, and a healthy dose of creamy smoked gouda and sharp nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano. As the cheese melts you’ll think you’re in love, but then stir in succulent jumbo lump crab and crisp bacon and you’ll really know what it feels like.
This would still be amazing if you skipped the crab completely, or even replaced with chopped chicken or pan-seared scallops. Let me know what you try!
Creamy Butternut Linguine with Crab, Spinach, and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 oz whole grain linguine
- salt for pasta water
- 5 oz butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 yellow onion, in large pieces
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp milk (1%, 2%, or whole)
- reserved water after cooking pasta
- 2 slices bacon (or meat of choice)
- 6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp dried herbs de Provence (or 1-2 tsp fresh thyme/rosemary)
- 1.5 cups baby spinach (packed)
- .8 - 1 oz smoked gouda, shredded
- 1/2 oz parmigiano-reggiano, finely shredded
- 3 oz jumbo lump crabmeat
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Toss butternut cubes and onion with 1 tsp olive oil and half of the minced garlic. Spread on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, bring water to a boil, add a couple generous pinches salt, and cook pasta until al dente (~7 minutes). Reserve about 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.
- Add roasted butternut/onion/garlic to a blender with milk and ~1/4 cup pasta water. Blend until smooth. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Heat a skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook on each side until crisp; set aside. Add mushrooms and ~1 Tbsp pasta water, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Cook 2-3 minutes, then stir in remaining garlic, herbs, and a sprinkle black pepper; cook 1 minute longer.
- Add spinach and about 1/4 cup additional pasta water; stir just until wilted.
- Add butternut sauce and cheeses; gently stir to combine. Fold in pasta, crab, and bacon. Add additional pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.