Butternut Squash Bolognese

 
 
 
 

This week on Dak and Ju, we made butternut squash bolognese with ground beef. The recipe is from our friends at Pomelo, a Seattle company working to fight climate change through inspiring changes in what we eat and how we interact with our food systems. Follow them @pomelo.seattle to learn more about ways you can make an impact through food choices. They host gorgeous events, offer consulting to companies looking to make changes in their food-related benefits and other things, which are detailed on their site: pomeloseattle.com.

On Dak and Ju, we're constantly striving for a balance of what's best for our bodies (shout out to Ju's soy and corn allergy), our planet and our budget — not to mention our priority will always be approachability. For this recipe, we chose to buy organic produce and local ground beef but skipped the local dairy. Do what's best for you!

Tis the season for squash, and this recipe highlights it in an equally cozy and creative way. You can easily make this recipe without any added protein at all, but it works nicely with ground beef, tempeh (for a vegetarian substitute) or heck: top that right off with some crispy bacon pieces because why not. Toss noodles in the sauce and top with parmesan and freshly chopped parsley. Also while watching this video and inevitably planning when you'll make this dish, please excuse our slanty cabinets. It's not you, it's us. Dak just moved, and we're still working out the angles. If you think this is rough, you should have seen the lamp fortress Dak built before Ju arrived!

 

Ingredients

  • 2lbs butternut squash: peeled, deseeded, cut into chunks

  • Extra virgin Olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 lb tempeh OR 1.5 lbs ground beef from a local producer (Seattle producers: Olsen Farm, Spoon full Farm, Skagit River Ranch)

  • 1 cup finely chopped onion

  • ½ cup finely chopped celery

  • ½ cup finely chopped carrot

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 1 cup milk or cream

  • Cooked pasta of your choice (see our homemade pasta recipe here!)

  • Herbs to garnish (optional fresh basil or flat leaf parsley)

 

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees

  1. Peel, seed and cut butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Toss cubed squash in olive oil and salt. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet or cast iron pans and roast until tender about 25 mins. Check halfway through and add a splash of water to help steam your cubes. 

  2. Remove squash from the oven when fork tender, and blend in a food processor or blender until a smooth puree. Add water or half of your milk/cream to help puree. Set aside.

  3. While you squash is cooking, heat oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef or ground tempe and cook until broken up and browned, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan. 

  4. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Season with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper. As soon as the veg begins to sizzle, reduce the heat until soft and fragrant, about 10 mins. 

  5. Return the meat/tempe to the pan and add wine. Simmer until the wine has reduced to just a small amount of liquid, about 10 minutes. 

  6. In the meantime, fill a large pot with water and heavily salt - when boiling, cook your noodle of choice according to package. Drain and save at least two cups of pasta water in a glass spouted measuring cup.

  7. Fold in the squash mixture and add the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust heat to medium low simmer, cover, simmer for about an 15 minutes until the flavors have combined. Make sure the sauce doesn't dry out, or burn on the bottom by stirring semi-frequently. If the sauce is too thick, add a small stream of pasta water to loosen.

  8. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed! 

  9. Toss with your favorite pasta, and serve with freshly grated hard salty cheese like parmesan and finely chopped fresh herbs if using.

Makes 6 servings