← Back to recipe
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
nibbleboard.com/recipes/creamy-butternut-squash-pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 whole butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound rigatoni (or penne, shells, or your favorite short pasta)
- 1 cup vegetable broth (use more for a thinner sauce)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Garnish
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the butternut squash cubes and onion chunks on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the dried sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat evenly.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then tuck the unpeeled garlic cloves into the vegetables. Roast for 10 more minutes until the squash is fork-tender and the edges are golden.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while the squash roasts. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins. Transfer the roasted squash, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and velvety, about 30 seconds.
- Pour the sauce into the empty pasta pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the butter and parmesan until melted and combined. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the drained pasta and toss to coat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings to every tube.
- Fry the sage leaves in a small drizzle of olive oil over medium heat until crispy and darkened, about 60 seconds.
- Serve the pasta in warmed bowls, topped with crispy sage, extra parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition per Serving
811Calories
30gProtein
121gCarbs
25gFat
Chef Tips
- I've found that roasting the squash instead of boiling it concentrates the sweetness and gives the sauce a much deeper flavor — don't skip this step.
- Save that starchy pasta water. It's liquid gold for getting the sauce to the perfect silky consistency without adding cream.
- After trying both ways, I always use rigatoni or penne — the ridges catch the sauce so much better than smooth pasta like spaghetti.
- If you want to make this dairy-free, swap the butter for olive oil and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Soaked cashews blended into the sauce also work beautifully.
- The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, so I often double the squash batch on Sunday and have sauce ready for a 10-minute weeknight dinner.
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it cools — add a splash of broth or water when reheating.