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This Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta is everything you want in a fall dinner. It’s silky, comforting, and ready in about 35 minutes. Roasted squash blends into a velvety sauce with cream and pasta water, coating every bite with cozy flavor that the whole family will love.
Try pairing it with our Stove Top Chicken Breast for a complete fall dinner, or check out more Easy Pasta Recipes and our collection of Fall Dinner Ideas.
5 Keys To A Great Butternut Squash Pasta
- Don’t skip the pasta water — You’ll need at least 1 cup. It’s the secret to making the sauce silky instead of thick and gluey
- Cut the squash into even 1-inch cubes — They’ll roast faster and more evenly than large chunks
- Roast until the edges caramelize — You want golden-brown spots for the best flavor (about 25-35 minutes depending on size of pieces)
- Scrape the sides of the blender — When processing the roasted squash, pause halfway through to scrape down the sides of the container for a smooth sauce.
- Keep the sauce moving — Once you add the pasta to the sauce, toss constantly for 2-3 minutes to help everything emulsify
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Butternut Squash Pasta
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Butternut Squash and Pasta is so simple to make, but these small details will help you get the best results possible.
Step 1: Roast the Squash
Preheat your oven to 400°F and spray a 10×15-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Toss cubed butternut squash, shallots, and garlic cloves with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Spread evenly and roast for 30–35 minutes until the edges turn golden and caramelized — this sweetness is key to the sauce’s flavor.
Step 2: Cook the Pasta
Boil 1 pound of pasta in well-salted water until just al dente, (about 1 minute less than package directions — it’ll finish cooking in the sauce). Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
- Don’t overcook your pasta! You want it on the lower end of the time range on the box for the best results.
- Pro Tip: Save extra pasta water in case the sauce thickens as it sits — a quick splash and toss brings it right back to creamy perfection.
Step 3: Blend the Sauce
Transfer the roasted squash mixture to a blender. Add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock and blend on medium-high until smooth, scraping down the sides halfway. Add splashes of pasta water if needed for blending. Blend until completely smooth — it should look like thick cream.
- Be careful blending anything hot. The steam can cause issues, so if there’s a vent, use it! Work in batches if you have to.
Step 4: Add the Cream
Return the sauce to the pot, stir in ½ cup heavy cream and about ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Simmer gently on low heat.
- Taste before adding any additional seasoning, especially salt, to the sauce. How much you’ll need depends on how much salt you added to the pasta water.
Step 5: Combine and Emulsify
Add the drained pasta and ½ teaspoon of fresh sage to the sauce. Toss constantly, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta like heavy cream.
- You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce pools slightly on the plate but still coats each piece of pasta without sliding off.
Step 6: Season and Serve.
Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. The sauce should be glossy and cling to every piece of pasta.
Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and extra sage and serve immediately.
Variations, Customizations, and Serving Ideas
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese: Add freshly shredded sharp cheddar to the sauce in the blender stage, then garnish with more cheddar.
- Butternut Squash Parmesan Pasta: Add freshly grated parmesan to the sauce at the blender stage, then garnish with more parmesan.
- Add Protein: Toss in cooked chicken, crispy bacon, or pancetta for a heartier meal.
- Boost the Flavor: Add fresh sage leaves to the roasting pan or swirl in brown butter at the end.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Replace cream with a plant-based cream or coconut milk and garnish with nutritional yeast or a vegan parm.
- Add Veggies: Stir in fresh spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Change the Pasta: Works great with rigatoni, penne, or any short pasta that holds sauce well.
- Serving Suggestions: Pair with a simple arugula salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, and Leftovers
- Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing – While freezing is possible, the texture of the sauce may change slightly. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
- Reheat – Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce – microwaving can make it grainy.
- Make Ahead – You can roast the squash up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. When ready to eat, blend and proceed with the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pasta works best with butternut squash?
Short pasta like rigatoni, penne, or shells work great because they hold the creamy sauce. Long pasta like fettuccine works too, but the sauce clings better to shapes with ridges.
Can I use pre-cut butternut squash?
Absolutely! It saves time and works just as well. Just make sure the pieces are roughly the same size for even roasting.
Can I make this without a blender?
Yes! Use an immersion blender right in the pot, or mash the roasted squash very well with a fork — the texture won’t be quite as silky but still delicious.
How do I make this vegan?
Use coconut milk or plant based cream and garnish with nutritional yeast or vegan parm.
What if I forget the pasta water?
You can use warm chicken or vegetable stock as a substitute. It won’t be as starchy, but it still works well.
More Pasta Recipes
- Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Garlic Butter Pasta
Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut squash approximately 2-2.5 pounds, peeled, seeds removed and chopped (2 inch pieces), about 3 cups
- 2 Shallots peeled and halved lengthwise
- 6 Garlic cloves
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt plus more for pasta water
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 cup Chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 pound Cellentani pasta
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- ½ tsp Fresh sage chiffonade
- 3 oz Goat cheese crumbled for garnish
- Additional fresh sage leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large 10×15 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the diced butternut squash, shallots, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg on the sheet pan, toss to combine, bake for 30-35 minutes until the squash is tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook the pasta in heavily salted water according to package instructions for al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water then drain the pasta and set aside in the strainer.
- Place the cooked squash mixture into a blender or food pressor then add the chicken stock. On medium or high speed, blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add splashes of reserved pasta water if needed. This mixture yields 3 cups of blended roasted butternut squash.
- Add the blended squash mixture and the heavy cream with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the pot and bring the sauce to a simmer on low heat. Add the pasta and sage chiffonade, mix well to combine. Continue to stir the pasta, adding another ¼ cup of pasta water as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately, garnished with dollops of goat cheese and torn sage leaves.
Notes
- To cut a butternut squash: Use a vegetable peeler to carefully remove the skin. Use a large knife to slice about 1” of the bottom off, remove and discard seeds with a spoon and discard bottom. Cut the top (stem) off. Stand the squash up and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut each long half into half moons, then into chunks.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days after cooking.
- Reheating instructions: In a small saucepan on low temperature setting, add your leftover pasta and ¼ cup of chicken or vegetable stock. While continuously stirring, warm the pasta through until steaming. Enjoy with more crumbled goat cheese and fresh sage.
- Don’t forget to reserve 1+ cups pasta water before draining
- Cut squash into even 1-inch pieces for best roasting
- Cook pasta to al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions)
- Sauce thickens as it sits — add pasta water to loosen
- For dairy-free: use coconut milk or plant based cream and nutritional yeast
- Can roast squash 2 days ahead and refrigerate
- Reheat gently on stovetop with splash of water or broth (not microwave)
- Add sage leaves to roasting pan for extra flavor
- Toss constantly for 2-3 minutes when combining pasta and sauce
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
