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This delicious butternut squash pasta is the perfect dinner for fall. Roasted butternut squash mixed with ricotta and vibrant spices makes for a creamy pasta sauce.
My pasta recipes are comforting, easy to make and call for wholesome ingredients. This creamy spinach pesto pasta has many hidden veggies and my lemon ricotta pasta is a family favorite. When I start seeing butternut squash at the market, one of the first things I make is this creamy butternut squash pasta. It’s super simple with comforting fall flavors that our family loves. Follow along to learn how to make this recipe at home.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: As easy as roast, blend and mix! This pasta recipe is easy enough for a novice cook but fancy enough to enjoy with company.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the butternut squash pasta sauce ahead of time. Then mix it with the pasta right before serving.
- Flavor party: You’ve got subtly sweet butternut squash, garlic, spices and parmesan! Every bite is going to be full of flavor.
Butternut Squash Pasta Ingredients
- Butternut squash: You need one butternut squash for this recipe. Cut it into 1-inch chunks prior to roasting.
- Pasta: I used linguine, but you can also use spaghetti, bucatini or rigatoni.
- Ricotta: Whole milk or part skim ricotta works best for this recipe. It adds creaminess and balances the flavors.
- Spices: You’ll need oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Garlic: A couple cloves of garlic adds great flavor to the sauce. You can also roast a head of garlic and add it to sauce if desired.
- Stock: Use chicken or vegetable stock to blend the sauce.
How To Make Butternut Squash Pasta
- Prepare the pasta according to the packaging and save 1 cup of the pasta water. Cut The butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Cut it into large chunks and peel them. Then slice them into 1 inch chunks, toss with the olive oil and arrange on the baking sheet in one layer. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes until they are fork tender.
- Reserve a few roasted butternut squash pieces for later. Place the rest of it in the jar of a blender. Add in the ricotta, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic cloves and stock. Blend for about a minute until it’s creamy and smooth.
- Transfer the sauce to a large pan over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the cooked pasta and start mixing using a pair of tongs.
- If needed, add some of the pasta water to the pan to make the sauce even creamier. Mix until the pasta is completely coated with the sauce.
- Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and top with the remaining roasted butternut squash pieces, thyme and freshly grated parmesan.
Variations
- Roast butternut squash halves: To make this recipe easier, cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits. Brush the halves with olive oil on both sides and place them on the baking sheet, cut side down. Roast at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes or until fully cooked. Then proceed with the recipe as mentioned.
- Vegan: Leave out the ricotta and parmesan and use creamy vegan cheese.
- Jazz it up: Top the pasta with some cooked sliced sausage for extra smokiness!
Serving Suggestions
Serve butternut squash pasta with a side of of Mediterranean salad, green bean salad or beet salad. You can also simply serve this creamy pasta with some crusty bread such as focaccia for a complete cozy meal.
Leftovers
Store the leftover in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can reheat this pasta in a pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water when heating to make the pasta creamy again.
To freeze butternut squash pasta, let it cool completely and then transfer it a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a pan over medium heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use a food processor or even an immersion blender to make the creamy pasta sauce.
If roasting butternut squash cubes, then yes, you need to peel the squash. However, if you’re going to roast the halves and then scoop out the roasted squash to make the sauce, then there is no need to peel it.
You’ll Love: More Butternut Squash Recipes
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Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil , extra virgin
- 12 oz pasta , I used linguine
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Slice the top and bottom of the butternut squash so you can stand it on a cutting board. Then cut it in half. Place each half on the cutting board and peel it. Then cut the butternut squash into 1-inch chunks.
- Toss the butternut squash chunks with the olive oil, arrange on the baking sheet in one layer and roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until they are fork tender. Save 10-12 roasted squash chunks for garnish.
- While the squash is roasting, cook the pasta according to the packaging. Save 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.
- Place the rest of the roasted butternut squash in a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Add in the ricotta, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and stock. Blend for a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Pour in the butternut squash pasta sauce into a pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta with 1/2 cup pasta water. Mix using a pair of tongs and ensure that the pasta is coated well with the sauce.
- Serve and top with fresh thyme and freshly grated parmesan.
Video
Notes
- You can roast butternut squash halves at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes or until fully roasted. Then scoop out the flesh and blend it with the remaining sauce ingredients.
- Use any shape of pasta you desire including spaghetti, bucatini or rigatoni.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great combination of flavors! I love butternut squash and this recipe was delicious.
This recipe is delicious and bonus, my kids love it too!