This pasta dish came about because I had a bunch of Swiss chard in my garden that I wanted to use up before the weather turned, and because I wanted to make the most of butternut squash I see at the farmers’ market every weekend. Swiss chard and squash are two of my favorite fall ingredients.

They pair well together because even though they’re both earthy, Swiss chard is more like kale and butternut squash is sweet, so they compliment each other well. They also both pair well with cheese, which is another star ingredient in this pasta dish.

You can use any kind of noodle in this dish but I would recommend spaghetti or a more substantial noodle. There’s a lot going on, so you want to have a noodle that will hold up well under cheese and vegetables.

This is the perfect dish to make when you don’t feel like cooking. It takes minimal effort but delivers maximal flavor.

It also spotlights the best ingredients of the season, which don’t stick around for too long (unfortunately).

Here’s a song to get you started on your spaghetti with butternut squash and Swiss chard journey.

Spaghetti with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 package spaghetti
5 leaves of Swiss chard, thinly sliced
4 cloves minced garlic
olive oil
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
pinch of red pepper flakes
olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and more Parm for topping

Directions

First, roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt, and roast the cubes for about 30 minutes, or until they’re tender and slightly brown. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool.

Boil the spaghetti according to package directions. In the meantime, heat some olive oil in a large lidded skillet on medium heat. Add the Swiss chard and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the Swiss chard is wilted. Put the lid on and let it sit until your spaghetti is done.

When the spaghetti is done, drain it while reserving a little pasta water for tossing later. Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the pasta water, lemon juice, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, butternut squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the ingredients together to combine, then serve. Enjoy!