A Cookable Feast

Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta is too good not to share!

It’s early April as I’m writing this, with an unseasonably warm temperature projected for today: 79 degrees! Seventy-nine degrees! Having grown up here in Metro-Detroit and encountered many a snow flurry this time of year, I know what an anomaly this 79-degree day is. It’s not weather that calls for a pasta dish laden with hearty greens and a creamy squash sauce. Or is it?

I’m here to advocate for Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta being the perfect meal for any time of year or temperature. Because it’s comfort food – and comfort food, in my book, is evergreen!

You might not think that a vegan pasta belongs in the comfort-food category. I don’t blame you! But there’s something about this pasta that oozes cozy-sweater-for-your-heart-and-stomach vibes. Maybe it’s the thick pappardelle noodles or the luxurious squash sauce infused with sage and garlic. Maybe it’s the protein-laden chickpeas, or perhaps it’s the sautéed kale. At any rate, this Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta is soul-soothing goodness – even on a sweat-inducing kind of day.

The nice thing about this Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta is that it’s simple to make. There’s some prep involved in making the acorn squash sauce, given that you have to roast the squash. But that’s as easy as cutting the squash in half, scooping out the seeds and guts, drizzling it with a bit of oil, and throwing it in the oven for an hour. Once it’s roasted and has cooled, you can remove the skin, throw it into the food processor with the other ingredients, and pulverize it into saucy goodness. This acorn squash sauce can easily be made ahead of time, so that assembling the dish is really a snap.

I hope you find this Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta to be a cozy sweater for your heart and your stomach, too. Comfort-food meals are essential these days – and earn bonus points when they’re healthful, as this one is!

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Chickpea, Kale, and Acorn Squash Pappardelle Pasta

Protein-packed chickpeas, sautéed kale, and a homemade squash sauce make this pappardelle pasta a luxuriously healthful vegan dish.

Course Main Course

Keyword Chickpeas, Comfort Food, Dairy-Free, kale, Pastas, Squash, Vegan

Servings 4

Author A Cookable Feast

Ingredients

Acorn Squash Sauce

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 tsp. oil with a high smoke-point, such as grapeseed
• 6 large fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbs. water (more as needed)
• 1/4 cup mild-flavored oil, such as grapeseed (more as needed)
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Pasta

• 1 lb. pappardelle noodles
• 1 tbs. oil
• 3 tightly-packed cups curly kale leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds and guts. Place in a baking dish cut-side-up and drizzle with the teaspoon of oil. Roast for one hour. Let cool.

2. Remove the stem and skin from the cooled acorn squash. The skin should peel off easily; alternatively, you can scoop the squash flesh out with a spoon.

3. Add the squash flesh to a food processor or large blender along with the sage leaves, water, quarter cup of oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Process until smooth. Should the sauce be thicker than you prefer, add additional water and/or oil until it's the desired consistency.

4. Cook pappardelle according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

5. Add the tablespoon of oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the kale and sauté, stirring frequently, until it's cooked down and softened, about eight to 10 minutes. Reduce heat as needed during the cooking process.

6. Reduce heat to low and mix in the pappardelle, chickpeas, and desired amount of squash sauce. Cook until warmed through. Served sprinkled with desired amount of red pepper flakes.