Craving comfort food without the post-meal sluggishness? We’ve got your back! This Creamy Butternut Squash Rigatoni is a protein-rich, cozy pasta recipe that’s filled with gut health benefits and made with wholesome, natural ingredients.
This fall-inspired dish is packed with seasonal produce, including fiber-rich butternut squash that delivers a sweet, earthy flavor and satisfying, hearty texture. Onions bring a depth of savory flavor, while fresh herbs offer an elevated, comforting appeal. However, the real star of the show is Lifeway Farmer Cheese; it’s an excellent source of protein, easy to digest since it’s lactose intolerant friendly, and mild in flavor so it goes with just about anything. Like all other Lifeway offerings, our farmer cheese is free of artificial ingredients, emulsifiers, and preservatives, leaving more room for all the good stuff to shine: complete protein, live probiotics, natural calcium, and more.
Lifeway Farmer Cheese is blended into the sauce to dress the pasta with, while Lifeway Kefir Butter is used to prepare a crispy sage garnish. Our probiotic kefir butter is a European-style butter that’s comprised of 82% butterfat, giving it a naturally rich flavor that makes an ordinary meal feel extra special. It’s also gut-friendly since it’s made with live, active cultures and real milk and cream. Easy to digest and gluten-free, both Lifeway Farmer Cheese and Lifeway Kefir Butter are terrific ingredients to keep on hand for gut-healthy comfort food meals like this Creamy Butternut Squash Rigatoni. Because better ingredients mean better meals to help you feel your best all season long!
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Need more recipe inspiration? Check out all our cultured creations here.
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for better gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health.
Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, support the digestive system, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1. Lifeway Kefir also contains a variety of nutrients that are vital for healthy bones and overall health, including vitamins D3, K, and B12 along with calcium and potassium. Along with our kefir, we also offer our creamy, cultured Lifeway Farmer Cheese, a high protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support a healthy microbiome that’s easy to spread and contains no added salt or sugar.
Prep Time: 1 hour Servings: 2Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped sage
- 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped thyme
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 8 oz. rigatoni pasta (about 1/2 a standard size box) - use gluten-free if needed
Garnishes:
- crispy sage made with a handful of fresh sage leaves and 2 tbsp. Salted Kefir Butter
- a few slices of prosciutto
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Peel the butternut squash, slice off top and bottom, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds, then slice into 1" cubes. Add to the parchment paper lined baking sheet, and mix it evenly on the pan with the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, fresh sage and thyme, then drizzle on the olive oil.
- If using, add the few slices prosciutto to the pan, tearing it into pieces and spreading evenly on top of the veggies on the pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender and fragrant. Remove the prosciutto from the pan, dice into small pieces, and set aside. If not using the prosciutto, simply bake the veggies for 35 minutes, or until the squash is fragrant and fork tender.
- Once the veggies are done, set aside and make the crispy sage for the garnish: Melt 2 tbsp. Lifeway Salted Kefir Butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, and pan-fry for 1 minute on each side. Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Add the rigatoni to a large pot filled with water, then boil according to the pasta's packaging directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and set aside.
- Add Lifeway Farmer Cheese, the roasted veggies, red pepper flakes, and the chicken or veggie broth to a food processor to make a thick pasta sauce purée. Add purée and reserved pasta water to a large saucepan. Cook 15 minutes until fully heated throughout. Stir pasta into sauce until mixed, then serve in two bowls and garnish with crispy prosciutto and sage. Enjoy!
