Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Creamy, delicious butternut squash pasta may just be my latest favorite vegetarian pasta dish. It’s oh so creamy, healthy, hearty, and extra comforting for any fall or winter meal. The best part is how easy it is to make without any sacrifice to flavor. This recipe will impress even the picky eaters in your family.

Why you’ll love this butternut squash pasta: 

• Easy: This recipe is a straight-forward, easy recipe that even a novice cook can pull off 
• Flavorful: The flavor of the spices, garlic, and fried sage really is so warming and delicious 
• Crowd-Pleasing: Everyone will love this recipe. Make it for your next dinner party or quick family dinner

Ingredient Notes: 

Butternut Squash: Rich in important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, butternut squash is low-calorie and fiber-rich. It’s the perfect winter squash to add to recipes like this, soups, salads, or to eat on its own. 

Sage: Not only does sage have a delicious flavor but it also contains vitamins A and C, plus antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of certain health conditions. 

How to make butternut squash pasta: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half length-wise, and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil on top of each half and season with salt + pepper. Place face down onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until tender. Allow to cool slightly, remove the skin, and dice into pieces. Set aside.
3. While the squash cooks, heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped pecans. Stir often until the pecans begin to turn golden and become fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Set a large pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil + diced onion. Allow it to cook for 5 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the pot, allowing them to soften. About 2 – 3 minutes. Stir consistently to prevent burning. Add the diced butternut squash, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, and dried chili flakes. Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes to allow the flavors to strengthen. The longer you cook it, the stronger it will be. Add the heavy cream and bring to a slight boil. Transfer everything to a large blender or food processor, blending until smooth. Add this back into the pot over low heat. Adjust seasoning to taste, and add more heavy cream to thin it.
5. While the sauce keeps warm, cook the Spaghettini. Boil a large pot with salted water. Add the pasta and cook until floating + tender. This will be approximately 5 – 10 minutes. Follow the instructions on the box. Strain cooked pasta into a colander, and rinse with hot water. Transfer the cooked Spaghettini to the pot of pasta sauce, continue to keep warm on low.
6. Next, to make the fried sage, cover the bottom of a small pan with approximately 1-cm or less of oil and place over high heat. Once the oil begins to bubble, add the whole sage leaves. Let them fry for 20 – 30 seconds and then, using a fork or tongs, flip to the other side for another 20 – 30 seconds until golden.
7. Remove them from the heat carefully onto a plate layered with a paper towel, to drain excess oil.
8. Garnish the pasta with the toasted pecans, fried sage, parmesan cheese, extra chili flakes, cracked black pepper, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top of each plate. 

Expert Tips & FAQ: 

How do I make this butternut squash pasta vegan? Make this dish completely vegan by using plant-based milk and vegan cheese!

Sage Tip: Be careful when frying the sage, wear oven mitts if you need them!

Storage: Store the pasta in the fridge for 5 – 7 days, reheat to serve!

Other pasta recipes you’ll love:

• Pesto Pasta Bake
• Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe
• Greek Style Vegetarian Pasta
• Truffle Pasta Recipe

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Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

5 from 7 votes

This creamy, delicious butternut squash pasta with fried sage and parmesan cheese is the perfect fall or winter dish that'll impress the whole family.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Vegetarian

Cuisine Mediterranean-Inspired

Servings 6

Calories 356 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 small/medium butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp sage
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 340 g pack dried Spaghettini or enough for 4-6 people
• vegetable oil
• ¼ cup fresh sage
• ½ cup pecans chopped
• 1 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
• cracked black pepper
• chili flakes
• 1 lemon

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Cut the butternut squash in half length-wise, and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil on top of each half and season with salt + pepper. Place face down onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until tender. Allow to cool slightly, remove the skin, and dice into pieces. Set aside.
• While the squash cooks, heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped pecans. Stir often until the pecans begin to turn golden and become fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
• Set a large pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil + diced onion. Allow it to cook for 5 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the pot, allowing them to soften. About 2 – 3 minutes. Stir consistently to prevent burning. Add the diced butternut squash, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, and dried chili flakes. Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes to allow the flavors to strengthen. The longer you cook it, the stronger it will be. Add the heavy cream and bring to a slight boil. Transfer everything to a large blender or food processor, blending until smooth. Add this back into the pot over low heat. Adjust seasoning to taste, and add more heavy cream to thin it.
• While the sauce keeps warm, cook the Spaghettini. Boil a large pot with salted water. Add the pasta and cook until floating + tender. This will be approximately 5 – 10 minutes. Follow the instructions on the box. Strain cooked pasta into a colander, and rinse with hot water. Transfer the cooked Spaghettini to the pot of pasta sauce, continue to keep warm on low.
• Next, to make the fried sage, cover the bottom of a small pan with approximately 1-cm or less of oil and place over high heat. Once the oil begins to bubble, add the whole sage leaves. Let them fry for 20 - 30 seconds and then, using a fork or tongs, flip to the other side for another 20 – 30 seconds until golden.
• Remove them from the heat carefully onto a plate layered with a paper towel, to drain excess oil.
• Garnish the pasta with the toasted pecans, fried sage, parmesan cheese, extra chili flakes, cracked black pepper, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top of each plate. Enjoy!!

Notes

Make this dish completely vegan by using plant-based milk and vegan cheese!

Be careful when frying the sage, wear oven mitts if you need them!

Use homemade pasta instead of store-bought! 

Store the pasta in the fridge for 5 – 7 days, reheat to serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 6 | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.9g | Protein: 8.3g | Fat: 32.2g | Saturated Fat: 14.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 55.2mg | Sodium: 336.1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4.1g

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