The cool, fresh arugula wilts softly from the warmth of the pasta and the rich flavor of the Delicata mellows out the delicious, tangy goat cheese that melts to coat the entire salad. This warm salad is the perfect autumn side to share with friends and family!
I had lived 32 years of life before I had ever heard of a Delicata squash. There are a bunch of WW people I follow on Instagram who were raving about Summer changing to Fall because it meant that it was Squash Season. Delicata squash is all the rage on IG and people are roasting them, air frying them… super excited about it.
If you know anything about me, you know that I have FOMO really bad about most things.
I passively looked in the squash bins at the two grocery stores I frequent most often and hadn’t noticed them in there. But then I had a girlfriend obtain a couple of Delicatas and she gave one to me. Huzzah! It sat on my counter for at least a week and a half before I finally mustered up the courage to do something with it.
So, I’ve basically fallen in love with warm salads, ever since I tried Eat Yourself Skinny’s Pea & Arugula Pesto Pasta Salad (and if you haven’t tried it, you definitely should. And I promise it tastes just as good in the Fall as it did in the Summer). Combining the warm pasta with the cool, fresh arugula gets it just wilted enough where it can become this cohesive dish. The Delicata squash is definitely the star of the dish but the cherry on top is the delicious, tangy and melty goat cheese that coats the entire salad. You guys. You have got to make this; it’s the perfect autumn salad.
I was winging this a little bit as I was making it, so I didn’t take as many photos as I normally might have. So, start by slicing your Delicata squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and membrane, and then cut into ¼ inch half-moon slices. I promise this is the only “labor intensive” part of the whole recipe. I tossed the squash and garlic in some olive oil, S & P and some red pepper flakes, which I decided on at the last minute and I’m so happy about that because it was absolutely the right decision.
Once everything is coated mixed together on the baking sheet, toss those puppies into the oven to get roasty toasty. I roasted the squash for about 25 minutes, and I flipped them half way. It’s really beautiful because the squash deepens in its lovely orange color and gets browned.
While the squash was roasting, I cooked my pasta according to the package instructions. I timed it so everything would get done around the exact same time because the heat of the pasta and the squash is essential for everything to melt together.
I am including these photos to show you that measuring is important. Measuring is what allows you to be in control of your points! And, this is a good photo because even though something seems like it would be a ridiculously small amount, it doesn’t always work out that way. Side Note: I should mention that these photos show 4 ounces of pasta and 1 ¼ ounces of goat cheese because I made a baby batch of this salad the first time I made it, so the proportions will be half of what shows below.
The final step is to get these ingredients to become friends. Get a bowl bigger than I think I need because when I get in there with those tongs, I want to make sure I’ve got enough room to mix everything together and not have to worry about anything spilling out. I started by putting the arugula at the bottom because it was ready first, then I dumped the pasta on top, followed by the squash, then topped with the goat cheese. I use tongs to mix everything together until the goat cheese has melted enough to coat every little bit of goodness in the mixing bowl.
Like, I’m not super into art or anything, but I feel like this is the type of art I’m into. Look at it. It’s so pretty. So Autumnal. Also, so delicious.
I served this as a side with chicken, but this could absolutely be a meal in and of itself. It would also be a great dish to bring and share at a family gathering (*cough* Thanksgiving *cough*), if you’re ever looking for ideas for stuff like that.
Delicata Squash & Goat Cheese Warm Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Delicata Squash (cut in 1/4 inch half moon shapes)
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
- 8 Ounces Pasta (I use Barilla Campanelle, N. 99)
- 6 Ounces Arugula (I like using the 50/50 Baby Arugula/Baby Spinach mix too!)
- 2 1/2 Ounces Soft Type Goat Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice Delicata squash in half length-wise first, then into 1/4 inch half moon shapes. Toss squash with garlic, oil, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper in a bowl or right on the baking sheet you'll use to roast them. Spread out into a single layer on baking sheet and roast until tender and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. Stir about half way through.
- While squash is roasting, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Drain and keep warm.
- Combine hot pasta, roasted squash, arugula and goat cheese. Toss until all ingredients are coated in goat cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
- 6 WW Smartpoints for all three plans 💙💚💜
- Serving size is 1/6th of the recipe, approximately 2 cups.
- Using whole wheat pasta would decrease points to 2 Smartpoints for Purple Plan 💜
- Created using the WW Recipe Creator.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out!
Snap a photo and tag @glimpseofgrace on Instagram!
