Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
Get ready to dive into our Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta recipe--- Where the nutty charm of roasted butternut squash mingles with fragrant herbs, velvety cream, and the irresistible allure of Parmesan cheese. Cozy and bursting with fall vibes this dish is destined to become your family's new weeknight favorite, packed full of flavors that'll warm your heart and satisfy your cravings.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 548kcal
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package organic rigatoni pasta (You can use your fave pasta shape/type; See Notes for GF option.)
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- 2 cups Cubed Roasted Butternut Squash
CREAMY SAUCE:
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon organic all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups organic heavy cream
- 2 cups organic vegetable stock
- 2 Tbsps white cooking wine
- 1 cup freshly-grated parmesan
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Your fave chopped nuts, toasted
- Roasted butternut squash
- Sprinkles of red pepper flakes
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
TO ROAST THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- To roast the butternut squash, follow my How to Roast Butternut Squash recipe!
COOK THE PASTA:
- To begin, cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).
BLEND TOGETHER FOR SAUCE:
- In a high-powered blender, add together the roasted butternut squash and veggie stock and blend on high-speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. NOTE: The mixture should look like puree that isn't too thick, but not at all watery.
TO MAKE THE CREAMY SAUCE:
- In a medium-sized (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil. Once heated, add the minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper, fresh chopped sage, and red pepper flakes, stirring everything together. Whisk in the heavy cream, blended butternut squash mixture, and white cooking wine, until becomes smooth with no lumps visible and the sauce is thickened.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until it thickens more and stir in the grated parmesan until it has melted and the sauce is even more creamy.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir until it becomes fully coated in the sauce.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately with your favorite toppings and your favorite side, salad, or on it's own.
- Bon Appetit!
Notes
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- SPICES/HERBS: If desired, you can reduce the amounts slightly. Please know that this recipe is bold in flavor, so feel free to adjust based on your tastebuds.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that all other ingredients are GF-friendly.
- DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTIONS: To make this sauce dairy-free, simply use vegan butter instead of the regular butter. Then swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
- PASTA: You can use Jumbo shells or long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. if desired, however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional penne or rigatoni pasta works perfectly too!
Nutrition
Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1527mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9862IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 341mg | Iron: 2mg