Parmesan-Sage Butternut Squash Pasta
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This creamy butternut squash pasta is GOOD. The smooth, nutty-tasting sauce is plushed-up with butter instead of cream, and blended with tender roasted butternut squash cubes, caramelized onion, fresh sage leaves, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.
Like all butternut squash recipes, the subtle sweetness of winter squash pairs brilliantly with the comforting flavors of fall. For me, that means pairing it with plenty of savory ingredients — including Parmesan, butter and herbs.
Sauce cooked pasta, and stir in more chunky pieces of roasted butternut squash to make the comfiest dinner bowl!
If I’m not transforming it into a creamy butternut squash soup, then I’m always down to enjoy something vegetarian-ish, and pasta is never out of the question.
It doesn’t get Any better than creamy, cozy butternut squash pasta
- Pasta recipes + winter squash = All the fall feels. Pairing any type of orange squash with Italian-inspired ingredients is the ticket to deliciousness.
- The method: Roasting butternut squash intensifies its natural sweetness, adding a nutty flavor dimension to this simple sauce.
- It’s all about playing with texture: I love how the creamy butternut pasta sauce contrasts with roasted chunks of squash, crispy sage, and caramelized onion. It’s anything but boring!
- Plan ahead: The creamy sauce keeps up to a week in the fridge — just heat it and pair with any type of cooked pasta . Scroll down to the recipe and cook it now!
Ingredient overview
- Butternut squash: If you’re starting with a whole squash, you want to end up with 5 cups of peeled, seeded butternut. Using my handy kitchen scale when I tested the recipe, I’ve determined that a 3-pound-ish squash is the ideal size. You can also use prepped butternut squash, often found in the produce department in grocery stores.
- Aromatics: Thinly sliced onion or shallot becomes super-tender and and golden brown during roasting, adding another layer of flavor.
- Herbs: Fresh sage pairs well with all kinds of winter squash, and the whole leaves emerge from the oven crisp and tender. Chopped thyme is another good option.
- Broth: I use a quick homemade vegetable broth, but chicken broth works if you’re not strictly vegetarian.
- Pasta: Use any type of dried pasta. I usually stick to short pasta shapes — think shells, rigatoni, or anything that holds onto and cups the sauce.
How to make it (visual guide)
- Note: If you need help breaking down a whole butternut squash, see my tutorial for cutting up a butternut squash.
Parmesan-Sage Butternut Squash Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups (625 g) peeled butternut squash cut into 1-½-inch cubes
- ½ cup sliced yellow onion, or shallot
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme
- 2½ cups vegetable broth, warmed
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 12 ounces dried short pasta, such as rigatoni, shells, or ziti
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F(220C), with the oven rack positioned in the center.
- Toss the butternut squash cubes on a rimmed 18 x 13-inch baking sheet (lined with parchment, if you like) with the onion, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, crushed red and black pepper. Arrange in one layer. Roast 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sage, and stir the squash around. Continue roasting 10-15 more minutes, or until the squash is tender and the onion is browned on the edges.
- Scoop out 1 ½ cups of the roasted squash mixture from the sheet pan and set aside in a small bowl. Scrape the remaining squash, sage leaves and all the pan liquid into a food processor or blender. Add 2 cups of the broth, ¼ cup of the Parmesan and the butter. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth, with a thick, pourable texture. Add additional broth as needed. Keep the sauce warm while the pasta cooks.
- Bring 4-5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, then add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook the pasta until al dente and drain. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Add the sauce to the pasta, along with the reserved roasted squash. Serve hot, with additional Parmesan cheese.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Use precut squash from the produce department of your grocery store to cut down on prep time.
- One medium-large (2-1/2-3 pounds) butternut squash should yield 5 cups of peeled, seeded cubes, to yield approximately 3 cups of sauce.
- The sauce and roasted squash cubes can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. While the pasta is cooking, reheat the sauce and squash mixture in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.