Description
Homemade butternut squash pasta sauce brings creamy Mediterranean comfort to classic Italian noodles. Rich garlic and sage notes complement roasted squash, creating a silky smooth dinner perfect for cool autumn evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta (fettuccine, rigatoni, or penne)
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs/907 g), peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 tbsps olive oil, divided
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (or coconut milk for vegan option)
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp dried sage (or 2–3 fresh sage leaves)
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Roast Preparation: Cube butternut squash into uniform pieces and separate garlic cloves, positioning them on a baking sheet and generously coating with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Oven Configuration: Preheat oven to 400F (200C), creating an optimal roasting environment for caramelizing vegetables until golden and tender, approximately 25-30 minutes.
- Sauce Foundation: Sauté onions in a spacious skillet until translucent, then introduce roasted squash and garlic, blending with vegetable broth, sage, and nutmeg to develop a complex flavor profile.
- Sauce Transformation: Utilize an immersion blender to puree the vegetable mixture into a silky-smooth consistency, incorporating heavy cream or coconut milk for enhanced richness.
- Cheese Integration: Sprinkle Parmesan cheese into the sauce, stirring until completely melted and seamlessly integrated, creating a luxurious texture.
- Pasta Completion: Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, then transfer directly into the sauce, gently tossing to ensure even coating and adjusting consistency with reserved pasta water.
- Final Presentation: Plate the pasta immediately, garnishing with fresh parsley and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, ready to enjoy this warm, seasonal culinary creation.
Notes
- Optimize Squash Roasting: Cut butternut squash into uniform 1-inch cubes to ensure even caramelization and prevent uneven cooking.
- Enhance Sauce Creaminess: Use an immersion blender or high-powered blender for ultra-smooth texture, removing any potential vegetable chunks.
- Control Sauce Consistency: Add pasta water gradually to adjust thickness, preventing the sauce from becoming too thin or too thick.
- Dietary Adaptation Tricks: Swap heavy cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free version, or use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a vegan alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg