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Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Butternut squash pasta sauce made silky-smooth by blending simmered squash until very tender, then finishing with cream and parmesan. Toss it with rigatoni or penne for a glossy golden-orange sauce that clings to every tube.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne
Butternut squash base
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Creamy finish
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 immersion blender

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot, then sauté diced onion for 5 minutes.
  2. Add minced garlic and chopped sage and cook for 2 minutes.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add peeled and cubed butternut squash and broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until the squash is very tender.
Blend smooth
  1. Blend completely smooth with an immersion blender, scraping down as needed for a silky texture.
Finish the sauce
  1. Stir in heavy cream, grated parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Toss with pasta
  1. Cook rigatoni or penne, then toss it into the sauce and use pasta water as needed to loosen and coat.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, blend the squash mixture right after simmering while it’s hot and steam-fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or pasta water to restore silkiness. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based sauces can separate. If you want a dairy-reduced option, swap the heavy cream for an equal amount of unsweetened oat cream and use a reduced amount of parmesan.