Creamy butternut squash pasta is the perfect cozy fall dinner on these chilly days. Topped with butter-fried sage and fresh mozzarella, this pasta is so delicious. It’s also a great option to serve as a Thanksgiving main for your vegetarian (and non-vegetarian) guests.
Butternut Squash: I bought pre-cut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s which saves a lot of time and effort for cutting a whole squash and speeds up the recipe process. However, if you have a whole squash, clean and cut it into 1-2 inch cubes and proceed with the recipe as written.
Gluten-Free: I used a new-to-me gluten-free pasta from Trader Joe’s that was so good! My only complaint is that it is quite delicate and breaks very easily so cooking to al dente is a must. You’ll also want to use about 1.5 packages of the pasta for this recipe – unless you like very saucy pasta!
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz fettuccini or spaghetti (or gluten-free pasta)
- 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2-3 cups pasta water, reserved from cooking
- 8 oz mini fresh mozzarella balls
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. On a parchment lined baking sheet, toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Spread into a single layer and bake for 25-30 minutes until squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add fresh sage and cook on both sides until crispy, about 2 minutes.
- Cook pasta per package instructions to al dente, salting the pasta water. Reserve 2-3 cups pasta water before draining the pasta.
- When the butternut squash is ready, carefully place it in a high speed blender or food processor and puree.
- In a medium pot, heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot, season with remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook until starting to caramelize, about 30 seconds. Stir in the butternut squash puree. Add the cream and reduce heat to low, stirring to combine.
- Add the remanning 2 Tbsp butter and stir to melt. Stir in the parmesan.
- Return heat to medium and add 1 ½ cups of the reserved pasta water to the sauce, stirring to create a smooth creamy sauce. Add additional water by the 1/2 cup, as needed, to reach a creamy yet pourable consistency.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with torn mini fresh mozzarella balls, fried sage, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
