Looks Delic
I have this tendency to prepare vegetables very simply – usually roasted or sautéed with a little bit of seasoning – and just serve them on the side of whatever main dish I’m making. But kids, especially picky eaters, need to mix things up. Sometimes even “disguising” vegetables is a great way to try new flavors and add a little nutrition. This pasta with butternut squash sauce is exactly that. It’s VERY different from a standard vegetable side and looks enticing, and when I put it on the table the kids asked “is that Mac n Cheese?” ?
Butternut squash is sweet and creamy on its own so I thought, why not purée it into a sauce and pour it over some noodles? Now we have our vegetable and starch sides in one dish and just need to add protein to complete the meal.
Butternut squash sauce is actually eerily similar to butternut squash soup. Using an immersion blender, I puréed some roasted squash and caramelized onions with chicken broth until I reached the perfect creamy consistency and then seasoned it with warm flavors of nutmeg and sage. Then just toss it with your favorite pasta and finish it off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Simple, nutritious and so much more fun then the same old veggie side.
About the Ingredients
Butternut squash – lots of markets have the squash already peeled and cubed which is very convenient. Buying the squash whole is a little extra work but much less expensive.
Red onion – you only need a small amount so grab the smallest onion they have.
Butter – to sauté the onion. Olive oil is good too but the butter just adds a little extra flavor.
Sugar – just a pinch.
Chicken stock – one cup or a little more depending on the consistency you want.
Seasonings – nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper.
Pasta – about 1/2 pound is the right amount for this quantity of sauce. Scale it for bigger portions.
Parmesan cheese – for topping and added flavor.
How to Make Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce
The first thing to do is roast the butternut squash. If you bought a whole squash, you probably only need about half of it. But you might as roast all of it. If you have leftovers you can try this great Fall Bruschetta recipe.
While the squash roasts, slice and cook the onion in a little butter until it starts to turn brown. Now you can add a little water (so the onions don’t dry out) and a pinch of sugar to start the caramelization process. The key here is patience. Cook the onions low and slow (low heat for a long time ?) until they get nice and dark in color but not crispy. Be sure to stir them often so nothing burns.
Time to add in your roasted squash and chicken stock. Bring everything to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender purée the mixture until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can transfer everything to a regular blender and purée it that way.
Watch the consistency closely. You want it to be a thick and creamy sauce but not too thick to coat the pasta evenly. If you need to thin it out just add in a little more chicken stock and continue blending.
All that’s left is to season the sauce and toss with some cooked pasta; then top it off with a sprinkle of parmesan for a little extra flavor.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
This butternut squash so is hearty enough to compliment the addition of a protein. Try adding some sliced sweet Italian sausage to make it a complete meal.
I like the additional depth of flavor the red onion gives here but you could easily substitute with a yellow onion. Just be sure to caramelize it all the way. You don’t want the onion to overpower the other flavors but rather add a little sweetness.
FAQ’s and Recipe Tips
Yes. It will likely thicken up more once refrigerated so be sure to reheat it in a separate pot on the stove before tossing it with pasta.
Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the pan with onions as they caramelize on the stove. This keeps them from drying out. You want them to get sweet and dark but stay moist rather than crisping up.
The Recipe for Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce
The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought. Enjoy!
Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash cubed
- ¼ small red onion sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- a dash of dried sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ lb pasta cooked according to package directions
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toss the cubed squash with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast at 400° for 25 minutes.1 lb butternut squash
- While the squash roasts, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan. Sauté onions over medium low heat until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.1 tbsp butter, ¼ small red onion
- Add about 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of sugar. Continue to cook until the onions turn dark in color, about 30 minutes total.1 pinch sugar
- Add the chicken stock and the squash and bring to a simmer.1 cup chicken stock
- Remove the pot from the heat and purée using an immersion blender. Season with nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper.¼ tsp nutmeg, a dash of dried sage, salt and pepper
- Toss 1/2 a pound of cooked pasta with the sauce and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.½ lb pasta, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Notes
More Recipes You Might Like
- Italian Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Brussel Sprout and Butternut Squash Bruschetta
- Cast Iron Mac and Cheese
Ooooh I love butternut squash! I’ll be making this one, I love how simple it is!
This sounds so good! I like the thought of preparing the sauce in advance and letting it thicken a bit!
Definitely! It gets richer and creamier with time