Description
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta is a comforting dish that blends the sweetness of butternut squash with the savory flavors of sage and Parmesan.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (for frying sage)
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 12 oz whole wheat linguine (or pasta of choice)
- 1½ cups water or vegetable broth (plus more if needed)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the diced butternut squash and cook until very tender, about 12–15 minutes.
- Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sage leaves a few at a time and fry until crisp but still bright green, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and lightly season with salt. Set aside.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the squash from the boiling water and transfer to a bowl. Add pasta to the same boiling water and cook according to package directions. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain.
- Add cooked squash to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, adding water or broth gradually until you reach a creamy sauce consistency.
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft and fragrant, 3–5 minutes. Stir in the squash puree and Parmesan cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until well coated. Chop 2 fried sage leaves and stir them into the pasta.
- Top with remaining crispy sage leaves and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- For extra richness, add a splash of cream or half-and-half.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes adds nice contrast to the sweetness.
- Swap Parmesan for pecorino or nutritional yeast for a dairy-free option.
- Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth or water.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Boiling and Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta, Butternut Squash, Pasta Recipe, Vegetarian Pasta