My favourite spaghetti dish in the autumn.

This simple spaghetti is perfect for autumn with the addition of the amazing butternut squash. Use a simple, sweeter pasta sauce and you will quickly make a delicious meal. If you’re cooking for two, you only use half of a butternut squash, and I often use the other half in a soup or roast them for another meal.

I originally found this dish in a Lidl flyer, but adapted it to make it completely plant-based.

You will use plant-based bacon in this dish. There are several options for this these days, and it doesn’t really matter which one you use for this dish. We often use THIS ISN’T BACON or the Vivera bacon, which we season with some pepper.

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Pumpkin spaghetti

10 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking (in the oven) — serves 2

• 1 pack plant-based bacon rashers (or pieces)
• 1 onion
• 0.5 butternut squash
• 200 grams spaghetti
• 125 grams fresh spinach
• 275 grams stir in pasta sauce (sweet pepper / grilled vegetables / basil)
• Salt
• Oil

1. Dice the onion.
2. Peel the butternut squash and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces.
3. Boil a liter of water in a kettle.
4. Cook the spaghetti in a pot with the pre-boiled water and a pinch of salt in c. 10-12 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

5. Place the pumpkin in a microwaveable bowl and cover with 4 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for c. 6-8 minutes in the microwave. Drain carefully. Make sure the pumpkin is cooked; test to see if you can pierce it with a fork before draining.
6. Heat some oil in a pan and once hot, add the bacon. Fry for c. 8 minutes until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
7. Add some extra oil to the pan and fry the onion for c. 6 minutes until translucent.
8. Add the bacon and pumpkin to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
9. Add the spinach to the pan and let it wilt.
10. Add the pasta sauce and cooked spaghetti to the pan. Mix well and let it heat through for a minute or two.

11. Serve the spaghetti immediately.

Enjoy your meal!

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Leave a comment below if you made this recipe, and let me know what you think. Tips and feedback to improve the recipe are always welcome too!