Winter Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese
This Winter Pasta Salad is perfect for meal prep and made with healthy ingredients. It’s nutritious, delicious and easy to make!
Pasta Salads are always a good idea when you want a comforting, satisfying, delicious and easy meal.
This specific recipe combines the ease of making a pasta salad with the coziness of a winter meal. The butternut squash is perfectly fresh and in season while pairing nicely with the kale and tangy goat cheese.
If needed, you are more than welcome to swap out the kale and butternut squash for your favorite winter ingredients. You can substitute any other squash in this recipe and it will be very tasty!
Whether you need an easy meal prep or a comforting meal, this recipe is for you!
Main Ingredients
- Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Butternut Squash
- Kale
- Goat Cheese
- Pumpkin Seeds
Goat Cheese Swaps
If you don’t like goat cheese, the best swap for this recipe is feta cheese! They have a similar flavor and texture. You can buy them in crumbles or in block form that you cut into smaller pieces.
You can also swap for your favorite cheese if you think it will marry well with the other ingredients.
Why should I make THIS Winter Pasta Salad?
- It’s DELICIOUS
- Easy to Make
- Great for meal prep
- It can feed a group
- Customizable to your own creativity and flavor preferences
Ways to Roast Butternut Squash
There are a couple ways you can cake the butternut squash for this recipe:
- Cut into cubes raw and roast in the oven at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes, flipping the cubes halfway through
- Bake the butternut squash whole and cut into cubes once completely cooled
- Cut into cubes and bake in an air fryer (I don’t have one, but I know a lot of people do!)
How to Make this Winter Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese
- (If needed) Roast the butternut squash cubes at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes, flipping halfway through
- Let cool before adding to the pasta salad
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions
- Drain the pasta once cooked al dente and rinse in cold water
- Put aside while you prepare the other ingredients
- Buy the kale pre-washed and chopped or prepare the kale now
- Add the olive oil to the kale and massage the olive oil into the kale until soft
- Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl
- Add in the other ingredients and mix until combined
- Serve with more olive oil or dressing of choice
- Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Acorn squash, delicata squash and even sweet potato will be delicious in this pasta salad.
Nope! You can omit or swap with sunflower seeds, pistachios or another type of nut.
It should be soft with a little bite to it. As most call this “al dente” and is perfect for using in a pasta salad recipe.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
No, the kale wouldn’t taste the same and the texture would be off when you want to eat it.
Winter Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz Pasta
- 4 cups Kale, Chopped
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 Butternut Squash, Cubed
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup Plain Goat Cheese, Crumbles
Instructions
- (If needed) Roast the butternut squash cubes at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes, flipping halfway through. Bake until caramelized to your liking
- Let cool before adding to the pasta salad
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions
- Drain the pasta once cooked al dente and rinse in cold water
- Put aside while you prepare the other ingredients
- Buy the kale pre-washed and chopped or prepare the kale now
- Add the olive oil to the kale and massage the olive oil into the kale until soft
- Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl
- Add in the other ingredients and mix until combined
- Serve with more olive oil or dressing of choice
- Enjoy!