I promised more recipes with red kuri squash, and here you go: Roasted Red Kuri Squash and Creamy Coconut Baked Pasta! This recipe uses as its base my shallot-roasted red kuri squash (which also turns into a yummy soup). Red kuri squash has a creamy butteriness that is just scrumptious paired with the coconut milk in this pasta bake. We’ve eaten this baked pasta dish several times in the past few weeks, and it’s become a favorite! I’ve made it with just beans and with beans AND sausage, and both versions are delicious. Just beans works for the vegan crowd, or for when you don’t have any sausage on hand.

Joe’s trying a gluten free, dairy free diet for a while to try to get to the bottom of a skin problem, so I used a red lentil pasta pasta. But I can imagine any other kind of small pasta working well; just make sure you cook the pasta al dente, or a few minutes less than the package instructions.

Roasted Red Kuri Squash and Creamy Coconut Baked Pasta
serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 red kuri squash (about 2.5 lbs), roasted with shallots (roasted red kuri squash recipe here)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb sweet Italian sausage (omit to make recipe vegan)
1 lb red lentil pasta (or any other small pasta)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth, to make recipe vegan)
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp butter, cubed (optional, omit to keep recipe vegan)

Directions
Roast squash with shallots, full recipe here. When squash is done roasting, remove from oven, allow to cool to touch, and then remove squash skin from flesh. Place in bowl with shallots and set aside.

Preheat oven to 500. Prepare 9×13 baking dish with butter or coconut oil. Put water on to boil for pasta.

Sauté red onion and garlic in olive oil. When onion in translucent, add tomato paste, coconut milk, and chicken both. Stir thoroughly, then add curry powder and salt. Bring to simmer. Add squash and shallots, then puree using an emersion blender. Allow to simmer until ready to use.

Sauté sausage and set aside. Open can of black beans, rinse and drain, then set aside.

When water is boiling, cook pasta until al dente, about 3 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, then return to pot. Add black beans and cooked sausage. Pour squash mixture over pasta and mix thoroughly. Taste, and add more salt to taste.

Pour into prepared baking dish and spread. Cube butter on top, or skip this step to keep recipe vegan!

Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until bubbly and browned (and begins to char on some pasta pieces). Remove from oven and serve piping hot with a sprinkle of pecorino romano!