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Slow-cooker butternut squash pasta

With this easy pasta recipe, you can turn a few healthy ingredients into a rich, flavorful sauce. Just set aside a few minutes to roughly chop the squash in the morning. In the evening, you’ll have a low-effort, healthy dinner to bring to the table.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (about 2-3 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 vegetarian or chicken bouillon broth cube
1 pound of whole wheat pasta, any shape
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs

Instructions:

  1.  Peel the butternut squash, slice it in half and scoop out the seeds and pith from the center. Chop the flesh into chunks and place them in the slow cooker. (Pro tip: Chop it in small dices for a smooth, creamy-style sauce, but leave it in large pieces if you like a chunkier sauce).
  2.  Add one tablespoon of the oil, the broth cube and 1/2 cup of water.
  3.  Turn the slow cooker to the “low” setting, cover and let cook for about eight hours. The sauce can cook for up to 12 hours or more and will get richer with time, so feel free to let it cook for as long as you'd like.
  4.  When you’re ready to eat, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs and toast them until nicely browned and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  5.  Cook the pasta in a large pot of abundant boiling salted water until al dente.
  6.  Drain the pasta and add it to the slow cooker along with half the Parmesan and half the breadcrumbs. Stir well.
  7.  Divide the pasta between four bowls and top with the remaining Parmesan and breadcrumbs to taste.