Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage

An overhead view of a serving bowl filled with butternut squash pasta topped with grated Parmesan, a glass of white wine and a napkin to the side.

5 from 1 vote

This butternut squash pasta balances sweetness from oven-roasted squash with savory sage, garlic, and toasted pine nuts. Finished with butter and a sprinkle of cheese, this is a simple yet flavorful weeknight recipe that highlights seasonal ingredients with minimal fuss.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Entrées

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Lynne Webb

Ingredients

10 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
3 cups cubed butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
3 tablespoons pine nuts
4 cloves garlic minced
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan or Romano cheese for grating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If you're not working with whole butternut squash, move on to the next step. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, peel, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Arrange the cubed squash on the baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife.
While the squash is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, garlic and chopped sage, and cook until the garlic is barely golden, 2 minutes (do not brown). Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, and drain.
Return the pan with the pine nuts, garlic and sage to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until foamy.
Add the roasted squash, spaghetti and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta liquid. Toss gently, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the balance of the pasta liquid if needed.
To serve, plate individual portions of pasta and top with grated cheese.

Notes

If you're going to buy a whole butternut squash, look for one that's about 1 to 1-1/4 pounds. That should yield about 3 cups cubed, which is about what you get if you buy pre-diced fresh butternut squash from the supermarket.

RECIPE SHORTCUT

You can easily use 1 lb. of frozen butternut squash in place of fresh in this recipe. Allow it to thaw partially (about 1 hour), then proceed as you would with the fresh squash. Because most frozen squash has been blanched, it will probably cook more quickly than fresh, so check it for tenderness after 10 minutes.

Nutrition