Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Recipe

Fall is that time of year where the desire to cook up warm comforting soups, pasta dishes and baked goods is in full swing. Usually the common star of fall cooking is pumpkin.

It is so delicious and can make just about any dish a fall delicacy. Roasted pumpkin soup, sourdough pumpkin bread, and sourdough pumpkin cobbler are just a few recipes of many that we love to make for the season.

However, another unsung hero of fall cooking, and the star of today’s recipe is the butternut squash. This winter squash is often overlooked, but can also be made into a variety of fall dishes, from roasted butternut squash soup to this delicious butternut squash pasta recipe.

I have even used butternut squash in my pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and no one could tell the difference!

This creamy, cheesy, decadent sauce is the perfect way to use butternut squash this season. Serve it alongside grilled chicken and top with sage leaves for the perfect autumn dinner. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients – This meal is the epitome of comfort food, without any questionable ingredients. Butternut squash and a handful of pantry staples you probably already have on hand, come together to make a tasty dinner you can feel good about!

Fall flavor – There is nothing better than creating warm delicious meals in the kitchen in the cooler months. This recipe takes fresh butternut squash and turns it in to a craveable autumn dish packed with fall flavors. 

Customizable – The thing that is so great about this recipe, is that it can be adjusted and tweaked to have flavors that your family enjoys. Don’t like sage? Swap it for oregano, thyme, or rosemary. Add in some ginger, cloves, or nutmeg. Top your dish with red pepper flakes if you like a little heat!

Ingredients 

Butternut squash – When selecting a butternut squash, check that the skin has a matte and dull surface, and that the weight feels heavy when compared to its size. Check for blemishes, bruising, and green streaks as well, and avoid those when possible. 

Cream cheese – If you are feeling ambitious, try making homemade cream cheese to add even more flare to this recipe!

Freshly grated parmesan – Be sure to use freshly grated as opposed to pre-shredded cheese. It has an elevated flavor and incorporates into the recipe more seamlessly. 

Half and half cream 10% – If you do not have half and half on hand, you can make a substitute by combining equal parts milk and heavy cream.

Dried sage – This is a great recipe if you want to use fresh sage leaves from the garden. Use approximately three times the amount of fresh herbs when subbing for dried herbs. 

Spaghetti – You can use spaghetti, or whatever kind of pasta you have on hand: penne, linguine, or ravioli would be delicious. I love to use my homemade sourdough pasta, too.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

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Tools You May Need

• Blender or immersion blender

How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Step 1: Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and place skin side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the whole squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Step 2: Roast for 45 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until tender.

Step 3: About halfway through the butternut squash roasting, start the sauce. In a large saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for about five minutes over medium heat until they have become translucent.

Step 4: Add in cream cheese, parmesan, half and half, salt, cinnamon, sage, and pepper. Turn heat to low and add a lid to allow it to melt. This takes about 5 -10 minutes.

Step 5: Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions.

Step 6: Scoop out roasted butternut squash. Add the squash and the cream sauce to a blender and mix until smooth. Alternatively, you can add the butternut squash to the sauce pan and use an immersion blender.

Step 7: Pour butternut squash pasta sauce over cooked pasta and garnish with sage. Serve warm.

Tips 

• Toast up some pine nuts and use as a garnish. They add a wonderful crunch and are full of iron.
• Sometimes I like to fry up some bacon first, remove it from the pan, and then use the bacon grease to make this recipe. It adds so much yummy flavor. Serve pasta with crispy bacon.
• If you have some extra butternut squash, dice it up, toss it with oil, and roast it in a single layer until crispy. Add it to the dish for a nice texture and extra flavor. 

Recipe FAQs

More Delicious Recipes from the Farmhouse

• Cabbage Roll Soup
• Classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe
• Best Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
• Maple Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes And Apples
• Easy Split Pea Soup Recipe

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.