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4.69 from 19 votes

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Creamy butternut squash pasta made with roasted butternut squash, garlic and parmesan. The thick and creamy sauce (that's pretty hard not to eat straight from the bowl) is tossed with penne pasta for a quick and incredibly delicious dinner the whole family will enjoy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 546kcal
Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

  • 14 oz (400g) penne pasta
  • 1 lb (500g) butternut squash
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon chili flakes plus extra for garnish ( if desired)
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream (double cream)
  • ¼ cup (20g) freshly grated parmesan
  • salt and pepper , to season
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • small handful of basil , to garnish

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350F/gas mark 4.
  • Cut the skin off the butternut squash and cut into medium-sized cubes. Place on a baking tray with the garlic cloves (skin still on). Sprinkle over the oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. 
  • Add the olive oil and rub over the squash with your hands so the squash and garlic are evenly coated in the spices. Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes until the squash and garlic are soft, toss halfway through.
  • After 20 minutes of roasting the squash bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the penne and cook according to instructions until al dente, drain. Tip: Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining, see notes.
  • Once the squash is cooked, place in a food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and add that to the squash with the cream and parmesan. Blitz until smooth and creamy. Add extra salt if required.
  • Add the sauce to the drained pot you cooked the pasta in or a clean skillet and add 1 cup pasta water, stir to combine to thin out the sauce. If it's still too thick add more until you reach the desired consistency.
  • Add the cooked penne and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Serve with torn basil leaves.

Video

Notes

  • Choose a good squash - When buying the squash make sure to choose one without any blemishes.
  • How to cut it - Squash isn't as hard as you think to cut if you have a sharp knife ( see the video for how we do it ) alternatively you can buy pre-cut squash.
  •  Emulsify the sauce - Always reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta. If the consistency of the sauce is too thick dilute it a little with some pasta water (not too much).
  • Prepare ahead of time - This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Freezing - You can also freeze the butternut squash sauce on its own without pasta.
  • More ways to use the sauce - Pour over chicken (heat the sauce gently and add cooked chicken or pour over to serve)
  • It would also be delicious served with breaded chicken cutlets
  • Use as pizza sauce (because it's sweeter than tomato sauce go for toppings such as sausage, capers, salami and onion. Something that'll cut through the sweetness.)

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 12510IU | Vitamin C: 24.8mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 2.4mg