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    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Easy Dinners

    Easy Squash And Pancetta Pasta

    Published: Feb 10, 2017 · Updated: Jul 30, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Easy Squash and Pancetta Pasta is anything-but-basic. Italian bacon and tender, sweet squash make for a sophisticated, but simply delicious dinner.


    Tasty dinners come in all shapes and sizes. You can actually choose the shape of this one! Just pick a pasta, your favorite shape, and toss it with delicious flavors like pancetta, parsley and lemon. Mangia!

    Squash and Pancetta pasta held in white bowl with linen napkin

    Pancetta is made of pork belly meat that is salt cured. It's spiced with black pepper and often other spices. This process makes it similar to bacon in the sense that it is cured, but different in flavor. Bacon gets cold smoked after it is cured to give it that classic and distinctive taste.

    I chose pancetta here for it's unique aromatic flavor (but of course feel free to substitute bacon). I also love that I can get pancetta cut in one large piece that I can dice, or even purchase it already diced in packages. When it's diced and cooked it turns into meaty, salty little bites, perfect for tossing in pasta dishes.

    Feel like a superstar – make Easy Squash and Pancetta Pasta for dinner tonight!

    Pancetta, like bacon, needs to be rendered. That means the fat needs to be slowly cooked so it melts, instead of cooking quickly and burning. By rendering the meat, you are left with the meaty bits in a hot pool of flavorful fat. This lovely melty stuff then becomes like the sauce and flavoring for the rest of the vegetables and pasta.

    I used baby zucchini and pattypan squash in this pasta because it's tender and oh so cute. Feel free to sub diced, regular zucchini and even yellow summer squash instead. This pasta is also delicious eaten cold as leftovers the next day! Enjoy!

    Squash and Pancetta pasta Close crop in white bowl

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of Squash and Pancetta pasta in white serving bowl

    Squash and Pancetta Pasta

    Tara Teaspoon
    Use baby squash and smokey Italian bacon for a sophisticated take on pasta salad.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 10 to 14 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb box pasta (such as campanelle, casarecce, or cavatappi)
    • 1 cup (6 oz) pancetta (cut into ¼-inch cubes, or 6 to 8 slices bacon, chopped)
    • 1¾ lbs (5 cups) baby zucchini and pattypan squash cut into 1-inch pieces
    • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse; transfer to a large serving bowl.
    • In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta until fat is rendered and pancetta is crisp, about 8 to 10 min. Remove pancetta, reserving fat in pan.
    • Add zucchini and squash to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown in parts and cooked through, 5 to 6 min.
    • Toss pasta with vegetables, pancetta, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    A great smokey-flavored pasta with squash!  Can substitute pancetta with bacon.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 337mgPotassium: 521mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 524IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
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    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe by Tara Teaspoon & Vanessa Seder. Photography Miki Dusterhof. Food Styling Jee Levin. Prop Stylist Pamela Duncan Silver. Originally published in LHJ 04/09.

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Mary Bench says

      July 18, 2018 at 3:44 pm

      Can't wait to try this one!

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

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