This butternut squash pasta is healthy, comforting, and delicious! Roasted squash, sage, and thyme fill the creamy sauce with cozy autumn flavor.
The first time I made this butternut squash pasta sauce, Jack couldn’t stop talking about it for days. “That sauce!”, he kept saying. “That sauce!” Of course, I teased him for it, but if I’m being totally honest, I was completely smitten with it too.
Looking at this butternut squash pasta, you might expect it to taste like mac and cheese. But don’t be fooled. The creamy sauce is rich and nutty, with bold autumn flavor from herbs like sage and thyme. Because it’s so flavorful and complex, this butternut squash pasta would make a show-stopping vegetarian main dish at a special occasion dinner (pasta for Thanksgiving, anyone?). Still, it’s really comforting and easy to make, so go ahead and enjoy it on regular old weeknights too. On cold nights, Jack and I have been loading it into bowls and cozying up on the couch. One bowl is plenty to warm us up, but it tastes so good that we always go back for seconds…or, in Jack’s case, thirds.
Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe Ingredients
If you love butternut squash, you’ll go crazy for this pasta sauce! In it, the squash is front and center, adding to the creamy texture and supplying sweet autumn flavor. You’ll need 1/2 small squash to make this recipe, enough to yield 1 cup cooked flesh. Chop up the other half and roast it, or save it for a salad or soup. In addition to the squash, gather these ingredients to make this recipe:
- Shallots and garlic – They roast along with the squash, becoming sweet, nutty, and tender.
- Cashews – My go-to ingredient for making sauces rich and creamy.
- Nutritional yeast – It adds umami flavor to this butternut squash pasta sauce.
- Balsamic vinegar – For tang.
- Sage and thyme – They add earthy autumn flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Last but not least, you’ll need some pasta! I like to serve this sauce over rotini, but you can use any pasta shape you like. I recommend a shape with lots of folds and creases to catch the delicious sauce.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
This butternut squash pasta sauce is super easy to make! However, the first step is roasting the squash and shallots, which takes about 30 minutes. If you’re crunched for time, feel free to roast the veggies up to 2 days in advance. The rest of the recipe comes together in no time:
First, roast the veggies. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Then, place it cut-side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Wrap the shallots and garlic in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and add them to the baking sheet too. Roast for 30 minutes at 425°, or until the squash is tender.
Then, blend the butternut squash sauce. Add 1 cup roasted butternut squash, the shallots, peeled garlic cloves, cashews, nutritional yeast, vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper to a high-speed blender. Pour in some water and olive oil to get the blender moving, and blend to form a thick, creamy sauce.
Next, cook the pasta! Add it to a large pot of boiling water, and cook until al dente. Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Finally, add the pasta back into the pot. Stir in the sauce, adding 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Butternut Squash Pasta Serving Suggestions
When you’re ready to eat, scoop the creamy butternut squash pasta into bowls. Garnish it with thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked black pepper. Jack would tell you to add some shaved Parmesan cheese too!
Jack and I have been loving this recipe with a scoop of sautéed broccoli on the side. Roast the broccoli if you prefer, or replace it with roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts, or sautéed kale. A fall salad, like my Pear Salad, Caesar Salad, or Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad, would pair nicely with this recipe too. If you like, round out the meal with crusty bread or homemade focaccia to wipe up any sauce that’s left at the bottom of your bowl. It’s so delicious that you won’t want one drop to go to waste!
More Cozy Pasta Recipes
If you love this butternut squash pasta recipe, try one of these delicious pastas next:
- Butternut Squash Ravioli
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Garlic Herb Mushroom Pasta
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- Or any of these 25 Easy Pasta Recipes!
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ small butternut squash, halved vertically and seeded
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 shallots, coarsely chopped (⅔ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- Sauteed broccoli, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drizzle the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on the baking sheet. Wrap the shallots and garlic cloves in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
- Measure 1 cup of the roasted squash flesh and transfer to a blender with the shallot, peeled garlic, water, cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, vinegar, sage, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until creamy.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the sauce, adding ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Season with ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Top with freshly ground black pepper, a few thyme leaves and sautéed broccoli, if desired.
I just made this for a gathering tomorrow. I put it all together and it’s now in the fridge hoping it will re-heat ok. Any tips on reheating?
Hi Shannon, if the sauce gets too thick or clumpy after being in the fridge, just stir in a bit of water as you reheat to smooth it out.
Wondering if it’s possible to leave out or substitute the nutritional yeast?
I used grated cheese in place of the nutritional yeast and added some chicken broth bc it was a little thick in my blender.
It was delicious!
Is it ok to sub dried sage and thyme? If so, could you suggest portions? I’ve had trouble keeping both alive this year! Thank you.
Hi Gail, you could use dried herbs here! I’d start with 1 teaspoon of each and add more to taste.
I’m making this right now for the third time in two weeks. Made it for my family and everyone absolutely loved it as did their teenage friends. Made it again for a dinner party and it was completely gone! Making a batch of the sauce now to freeze and make for thanksgiving. I made it exactly as the recipe called for. Love all of your recipes! Thanks!
Hi Sara, aww so great to hear! I’m so glad you love the recipe!
(Beginner Cook) 🙏🙏🙏 very satisfied with this recipe. It was creamy just what I like about pasta. I soaked the cashews in 170ml of hot water aswell while the vegetables were roasting in the oven then just added the whole thing to the blender. Next time I make this sauce I will try less onion and garlic as I have very plain tastes. Does anyone know if I can keep this sauce in the fridge for a while?
Hi David, I’m so glad you loved the sauce! It will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.
Hey, very excited to try this. Is there anything I could substitute the cashews for? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, you could use blanched almonds or 1/4 cup raw sunflower kernels. Chickpeas could work too, though they won’t make the sauce quite as rich.
This was so delicious! Like a dope, I bought buttercup squash, but I read they are pretty interchangeable, and it still turned out amazing. I also soaked the cashews in hot water but only for 10 min and my ninja did the rest. Second recipe of yours we’ve had for dinner this week! Huge fan!
Hi Caitlin, I’m so glad you loved it!
I made a double batch of this, with very few modifications. As suggested by one reviewer, I soaked my cashews in extremely hot water for at least a half hour so they blended up beautifully creamy. I also probably put more squash in than called for, but it was close. I didn’t have enough shallots so I supplemented with a small yellow onion. The taste was pretty amazing! This was my first time using nutritional yeast and it really does have a strong cheese flavor! (None of us is vegetarian or vegan) I served this over penne pasta along with steamed broccoli, rotisserie chicken, and a tossed salad. Raves from everybody at the table! I’ll be making this again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do you need to soak the cashews first?
How would I use frozen butternut squash for this.??
Hi Pam, You could toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil and salt and roast them straight from frozen at 425°F. When they’re tender (after 15 minutes or so), remove from the oven and mash. You need 1 cup mashed squash for this recipe, which I’d guess is about 3 to 4 cups cubed squash. I’d still roast the shallots and garlic according to the recipe. They add great flavor!
How I could replace the butternut squash with organic canned pumkin? I would like to know how to cook the pumkin puree with the other ingredients, included the shallots. Thank you!
Hi Mary, we haven’t tested this, so I can’t guarantee the results. However, if you’d like to use canned pumpkin here, this is what I would do:
– Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots (diced), the garlic (minced), and a pinch of salt and cook until softened.
– Stir in 1 cup pumpkin puree and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes to warm it through.
– Proceed with the recipe as written, pureeing the sauce in a blender.
I hope this helps! Let us know if you try it!
Can you sub almonds for cashews?