Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

This creamy butternut squash pasta brings cozy fall vibes to your plate. The smooth, rich sauce made from puréed squash pairs perfectly with caramelized mushrooms and a hint of fresh sage. It’s a comforting dish that sneaks in some extra veggies while delivering a burst of flavor.

The summer after my freshman year of college I worked as an “administrative specialist” for Cutco. It was quite possibly the sketchiest job I’ve ever had between the business never actually calling itself Cutco (it was Vector Marketing Association) and the dirty spider infested office it resided in below a day care.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into until my first day when I figured out that “specialist” meant placing follow-up phone calls to all the poor souls that felt too bad to say no to the fresh-out-of-college salesman that got their names from some family member or friend throwing them under the bus and had to sit through the torturous hour demonstration involving knives that cost as much as your mortgage payment cutting through pennies, rope and leather.

I think I lasted about 4 weeks before getting too freaked out by the all day Saturday Tony Robbins-esque motivational sessions that went on and decided waitressing was where it was at. Picking popcorn shrimp off people’s appetizers before they went out to the table or sitting in a spider infested office making phone calls wasn’t a very difficult decision.

After that experience, I swore I’d never get a Cutco knife when I was at the point in life of needing a knife set. And then…I received a set of them as a wedding gift. And while I still stand by the complete sketchiness of their pyramid scheme organization, their knives are top notch.

Fast forward to year 5 of Cutco knife ownership and I‘m in desperate need of a legit sharpening. I happen to be at the county fair and pass by the local Cutco lady’s booth. I ask her how I go about getting my knives sharpened and she says “well, you can either send them in and pay a fee or I can come to your house and do it for you free of charge!” So of course I take the free option.

I mean, obviously.

Apparently I had my dumbass blinders on that day though and actually thought free meant free.

Oh, no.

“Free” in Cutco language means come to your house, do a demo, show you all the fun add-on knives you can get for your collection, wait in awkward silence as you peruse the catalog and don’t mention anything about the knife sharpening until after I’ve committed to buying a stupid winter squash cutting knife.

Yes, there is such a thing as a squash cutting knife.

It now resides in my gadget drawer in all its serrated glory just begging me to buy all the winter squash so I can justify its $125 price tag.

This butternut squash pasta is the start of many a butternut to be cut in my kitchen.

This pasta uses an entire butternut squash for the sauce (it’s just like this sweet potato mac and cheese recipe) and puts marinara to shame. It’s creamy and delicious and it’s all from a vegetable! Very similar to these butternut squash lasagna roll ups that also use the squash for a decadent sauce.

Try swapping out the cremini mushrooms for lion’s mane for an even hearty meal!

Why I Love This Recipe

There’s something comforting about a pasta dish that also sneaks in some extra veggies without feeling like you’re eating a salad. This butternut squash pasta is a total game-changer. The creamy sauce has those cozy fall flavors that just hit right, plus it’s packed with fiber thanks to the squash, which makes me feel like I’m doing something good for myself while indulging in carbs. 

And the caramelized mushrooms with sage on top are the savory touch you didn’t know you needed.

Butternut Squash Pasta Ingredients

• Butternut squash: The star ingredient is cooked until fork tender then pureed to create the creamy base of the sauce.
• Pasta: I like using orrecchiette for this recipe as the indents hold the sauce perfectly.
• Crimini mushrooms: These add a caramelized, earthy flavor to balance the sweetness of the squash.
• Fresh sage: Infuses the dish with a subtle, earthy and herbaceous flavor that complements the mushrooms.
• Shallots: These are lightly sautéed for a mild, sweet onion flavor that gives the sauce some depth.
• Broth: You can use chicken or vegetable broth to thins out the squash puree into the perfect sauce consistency.
• Heavy cream: Just a touch of this (or milk) adds some delicious decadence to the butternut squash sauce.
• Nutmeg: A pinch goes a long way in adding a warm, nutty flavor that rounds out the dish.

How to Make Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Start by boiling the butternut squash until it’s fork tender. 

While the squash is cooking, add some olive oil and butter to a pan and sauté the shallots, mushrooms, and fresh sage leaves until they caramelize. 

Once the squash is ready, add it to a food processor or blender but leave the water in the pot. Add the nutmeg, heavy cream, broth, salt and pepper to the squash and process or blend until smooth and creamy. If you need additional liquid to thin it out more, use some of the cooking water from the squash.

Bring the pot of water the squash cooked in back to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and place it back in the pot. Pour the butternut squash pasta sauce into the pot and toss to combine, adding some of the reserved water if necessary.

Fold in the cooked mushrooms and shallots. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese and freshly chopped sage.

Ingredient Options and Add-ons

There are a bunch of ways to make this creamy butternut squash pasta recipe your own.

• Add garlic to the mushrooms and shallots or roast some garlic first and add it to the butternut squash sauce to give it a savory punch that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the squash. You can blend garlic confit into the sauce or spoon it on top of the finished dish.
• Roast the butternut squash instead of boiling it to create a deeper flavor, sweeter flavor.
• For a little heat, toss in some red pepper flakes.
• Crispy bacon or sautéed Italian sausage can add a bit of protein as well as provide a salty element that goes really well with the sweet and savory flavors of the pasta.
• Swap out the sage for rosemary or thyme if preferred.
• Try this recipe with a different type of winter squash. Check out some options in this winter squash guide, but honeynut squash, carnival squash, koginut squash and buttercup squash would all make great substitutes in creating a creamy fall sauce. Some of these have edible skin unlike butternut so you don’t even have to peel the squash!

Tips and Tricks

• Make this a completely dairy-free and vegan recipe by swapping out the heavy cream for coconut milk or another plant-based milk and omitting the parmesan cheese or using a plant-based alternative.
• Choose any pasta shape you like. Short pasta, long noodles and anything in between work just fine for this recipe.
• Add a cooked protein to the pasta for a more filling meal. Shredded rotisserie chicken, shrimp or steak all pair well with the butternut sauce.

More Indulgent Ways To Enjoy Butternut Squash

These butternut squash roll-ups also use the squash as a sauce to coat a lasagna-esque dish filled with chicken and spinach.

Turn butternut squash into a creamy, warm dip and pair it with goat cheese and cranberries for a fall appetizer that will stun any crowd.

Combine butternut squash with white beans to make another creamy, comforting pasta sauce in this butternut squash gnocchi dish.