Creamy Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese
A cozy baked pasta layered with caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, tangy goat cheese and sage, all bound in a brown-butter béchamel and topped with crisp breadcrumbs.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 3 slices bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions halved then thinly sliced crosswise
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk
- pepper
- nutmeg a pinch
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled (1/2 cup)
- ¼ cup fresh sage leaves loosely packed, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the squash with the olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet; season with salt. Bake until tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni as directed; drain and set aside.
- In a medium pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour out all but 1–2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onions, sprinkle with the sugar, and cook over medium-high heat until meltingly tender and deeply caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar; set aside.
- While the onions caramelize, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cooking until it smells nutty and turns a warm brown. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Very slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- In a very large bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce, roasted squash, bacon, caramelized onions, goat cheese and sage. Transfer to a large baking dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake until the edges are crispy and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Notes
Brown the butter: Cook it to nutty brown before adding the flour — it gives the béchamel a deep, toasty flavour.
Multitask: Roast the squash, crisp the bacon, caramelize the onions and build the sauce in parallel; it's mostly hands-off.
Low and slow onions: Give them about 20 minutes for deep caramelization, then finish with the balsamic for tang.
Crispy top: The breadcrumbs and exposed edges crisp in the final bake — don't skip the second oven stint.
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 12000IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 3mg