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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage

Roasted butternut squash pasta combines sweet squash with a whole head of garlic, fragrant sage and creme fraiche to create a silky sauce.

This delicious vegetarian pasta dish manages to pack a boatload of flavour into a silky smooth sauce without relying on cheese as an ingredient!

Roasted butternut squash pasta served with garlic bread.

Creamy and Garlicky Squash Pasta

I like butternut squash and not just because it is tasty! It is also one of the few types of pumpkin that you can use when you cook for two without drowning in squash for weeks.

It certainly explains why I use it in my other “pumpkin” based dishes. My butternut squash tagine, butternut squash chilli and Burmese-influenced pumpkin curry all use large chunks of squash.

This wonderful roasted butternut squash pasta and my butternut squash risotto but roast the squash and turn it into a puree.

And just like the risotto, this dish pairs the squash with sage, as far as I am concerned it is a match made in heaven!

Whilst the squash is roasting I also throw in a whole head of garlic, so we get another level of flavour… it is exactly the same technique that I use in my roasted garlic pasta recipe.

Finally everything is blended to form the smoothest of sauces and mixed with some creme fraiche which adds a little acidity but also a wonderful creamy luxurious texture.

Overhead close-up roasted butternut squash pasta garnished with snipped chives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different types of squash?

Yes, you can use anything that you like, they all have relatively similar properties when roasted and blended.

Can I use dried sage?

Yes, use 1-1½ teaspoons of dried sage in place of my recommended amount of fresh sage.

Can I make this in advance?

I would not make this dish to completion and then reheat it because it tends to become very “claggy”.

But you can roast the butternut squash and garlic, blend it all and stick it in the fridge. It will last between 3 and 5 days if stored well.

Then when you are ready cook your pasta and gently heat the puree with the fresh sage and the creme fraiche. Then combine the two together and dinner is served.

How do I store leftover squash?

You have two options here, you can roast the whole squash and store the resulting puree. As I have mentioned above, that will be fine in the fridge for 3-5 days, and you can freeze it for up to a year.

If you have half of a squash left scoop out the seeds then wrap the cut face of the squash in cling film pushing it into the seed cavity. Then refrigerate, it could last up to a week.

Close-up roasted butternut squash pasta garnished with snipped chives.

Serving Suggestions

I’ve served this butternut squash pasta with some snipped chives and garlic bread in these pictures… to be honest, I rarely serve pasta with anything else!

Like most pasta recipes your biggest choice is on what pasta to use.

Take a look at that thick and silky sauce, it looks almost like a mac and cheese sauce. Naturally, that means it works with the same sort of pasta that you would use in that dish.

Some form of macaroni or elbow macaroni is superb, I used some lumaca rigata which is very similar.

But you could use any kind of tube shaped pasta, rigatoni or penne are ideal.

Overhead roasted butternut squash pasta served with garlic bread.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Oven.
  • Roasting tin.
  • 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
  • 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
  • Colander.
  • Kitchen foil.
  • Chopping board.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Stirring, serving and “scooping” spoons.
  • Weighing scales and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Creamy roasted butternut squash pasta with garlic bread garnished with snipped chives.
Yield: 2 Servings

Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

This creamy roasted butternut squash pasta combines the sweet squash with one of its finest companion flavours, sage and a whole head of roast garlic to create a fantastic vegetarian pasta dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 Small (600g) Butternut Squash (This should yield around 300-350g of squash)
  • 1 Head of Garlic
  • 1½ Tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ Tsp Coarse Sea Salt (Plus extra salt for cooking the pasta)
  • ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 75ml (⅓ Cup) Vegetable Stock
  • 12-16 Sage Leaves
  • ½ Tsp Chilli Flakes (I use chipotle chilli flakes)
  • 75ml ((⅓ Cup) Creme Fraiche
  • 175g (6oz) Dried Pasta

Instructions

  1. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds and place it in a baking dish just large enough to hold the squash.
  2. Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the butternut squash and sprinkle on most of the salt and pepper, keeping a little back to season the garlic.
  3. Cut the top 5-7mm (¼") off the top of the garlic and place it on a square of tin foil, then drizzle over the remaining oil and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Scrunch up the foil enclose the garlic and pop it in the baking dish. Then cook in the oven at 180°C or 350°F until the squash is tender to the tip of a knife, this will take around 1 hour.
  4. Carefully pour the oil from the squash and garlic into a 30cm or 12" frying pan, then scoop the flesh from the squash (discard the skin), and press the garlic from their skins.
  5. Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of well-salted water (I use 1½ teaspoons in a pan this size) to a boil and cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.
  6. Add the butternut squash puree, roasted garlic and vegetable stock to a blender and blitz to form a smooth sauce.
  7. Chop the sage leaves as finely as you can.
  8. Heat the oil that we transferred to a frying pan over a medium heat (don't be afraid to add more oil if required), and when it is hot add the chopped sage and chilli flakes and stir for 30-60 seconds.
  9. Pour in the butternut squash puree, add the creme fraiche, stir, and cook until hot, then reduce the heat to low and wait for the pasta to finish cooking.
  10. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, stir to coat and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 631Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 819mgCarbohydrates: 96gFiber: 16gSugar: 5gProtein: 10g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Brian Jones

Wednesday 20th of March 2019

Thank you Angelinia

Julie @ Running in a Skirt

Tuesday 12th of February 2019

What a yummy way to use butternut squash! This looks like the perfect easy dinner idea.

Brian Jones

Wednesday 13th of February 2019

It is certainly very simple!

Beth Neels

Tuesday 12th of February 2019

Oh, Brian, this sounds so delicious! The bacon added with the butternut is a stroke of pure genius! Can't wait to make it!

Brian Jones

Wednesday 13th of February 2019

Cheers Beth... Enjoy!

Patty

Tuesday 12th of February 2019

Oh my word Brian, this is really a restaurant style pasta, cooked to perfection and even al dente pasta just the way I like it! I happen to have all the ingredients, going to make your recipe for our lunch, I'm so hungry already!

Brian Jones

Wednesday 13th of February 2019

Thanks Patty, you are far too kind!

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