Butternut Squash Pasta with Seared Scallops

Did you know October is National Seafood Month? I credit my husband with nurturing my love for seafood. I hate to admit it, but the first time I visited Japan we were eating sushi with his uncle and I very nearly gagged on the sushi they chose for me. It was mostly the wasabi but I also wasn’t a fan of that particular fish. I was very picky about what kinds of fish I ate back then. Fast forward 6 years and I could not tell you a seafood that I dislike. Two weekends ago I polished off a sushi boat with 3 others that was meant for 6-8 people. If you needed evidence.

My hubby also was the one who taught me about wild vs. farmed. We’d be window-shopping at the seafood counter and he would tell me what farming fish entails and why we can never buy it. Ever since then I’ve loved educating myself on wild and sustainable seafood, and today I’m excited to share a few of the things I’ve learned. I’ve teamed up with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) on this post in order to share this insanely easy way to know if the seafood you’re buying is wild and sustainably sourced. The MSC’s vision is to ensure that our oceans are teeming with life so that we can enjoy wild caught seafood today, tomorrow, and always. They work with fisheries, grocery stores, restaurants and other companies to change the way oceans are fished, address food fraud and make it simple for us to identify sustainable, traceable, wild seafood. All we have to do is look for the MSC blue fish label. Take a look at it in my photo below.

That blue label is only applied to wild fish or seafood from fisheries that have been certified to the MSC Fisheries Standard, a science-based set of requirements for sustainable fishing.

So there you have it. It’s such an easy way to make sure we’re buying what we think we are, and also an easy switch if you aren’t already purchasing wild and sustainably-caught fish. Scallops are one of my all-time favorites, which is why you’ll see them way too often in my cooking. They were delicious on this bed of pasta and with the naturally sweet butternut squash sauce. What are your favorite seafood dishes??

You can learn more about MSC on their social accounts:

IG: @MSCbluefish

Twitter: @MSCbluefish

Facebook: @MSCbluefish

And find my recipe below!

Thanks to MSC for sponsoring this post <3 #ad #FeelGoodSeafood #NationalSeafoodMonth #MSCbluefish

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Butternut Squash Pasta with Seared Scallops

Ingredients

• 10 large scallops room temp. and patted dry
• 4 oz pasta such as linguine
• 12 oz butternut squash 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp all-spice
• 4-6 leaves sage optional
• corn oil or olive oil
• salt + pepper

Instructions

1. For the scallops:

   Place a heavy pan over high heat with 2 Tbsp of corn oil. Once hot, add the scallops. Do not crowd the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side and remove. Set aside while creating the pasta. 
   

2. Fill a medium pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash and boil for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the squash, reserving a cup of the water. Fill the pot again and bring to a boil for your pasta later.

3. If making crispy sage:

   While the squash is boiling, place a large sauce pan over med-low heat and add 1.5 Tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the leaves. Cook about 20 seconds on each side or until crisp and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. 

4. In the same large sauce pan, bring the heat to medium-high and add one Tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the garlic and stir until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Then add the onions and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the cooked butternut squash and stir for a couple minutes to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Then switch off the heat and pour everything into a blender or processor to puree. 

5. Puree until smooth and then return the sauce to the pan. Place over medium heat. Gradually add the half & half, stirring continuously until well combined. Add the nutmeg and all-spice. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. Use the reserved squash water to thin if needed, adding a Tbsp at a time. When your desired consistency is reached, remove from heat. 

6. Once your pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente according to instructions. Drain and add the pasta to your butternut squash sauce. If needed, gently warm the pan over med-low while tossing.

7. Split the pasta between two plates, top with 5 scallops, and sprinkle with crumbled sage.