Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

By Melissa NicholsonAug 2, 2024Jump to Recipe

Shake up your pasta dishes, pizza, and more with this healthy and delicious butternut squash pasta sauce.

Let’s chat about a dish that tantalizes the taste buds and is quite nutritious, too: butternut squash pasta sauce. If you haven’t tried it, you’re in for a surprise. It’s luscious, flavorful, and an easy way to sneak some veggies into your meals.

I’ll be honest; when I first considered butternut squash pasta sauce, I had doubts. My pasta sauces have always consisted of tomatoes, cream, or cheese. But squash? It turns out I was missing out. This recipe is now my go-to for a versatile and healthy pasta sauce.

Butternut squash pasta sauce is precisely as it sounds—a sauce made from butternut squash. The squash is steamed or roasted until it reaches tenderness and blended into a silky-smooth sauce. It often gets paired with ingredients like garlic, onions, and vegetable broth for flavor and a smooth texture. Some recipes include milk or cream as well. This version incorporates sage, which beautifully complements the sweetness of the squash.

Is Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Healthy?

Butternut squash boasts an array of vitamins and minerals. It’s packed with vitamins A and C, which are beneficial for the immune system and skin health. It also provides vitamin E, potassium, and magnesium. Its potassium content aids in blood pressure regulation, and fiber supports heart health by reducing cholesterol levels. If you’re keeping an eye on your calorie intake, butternut squash is a wise choice since it is low in calories but high in fiber. Furthermore, butternut squash is rich in antioxidants, such as beta carotene, which can protect the body from free radicals and lower the risk of chronic illnesses.

The secret to a smooth butternut squash pasta sauce

The last thing you want is a butternut squash pasta sauce that doesn’t have a silky smooth texture. For the best sauce, follow these two steps: choose a ripe squash and cook it thoroughly. An unripened squash doesn’t get soft enough to blend. To tell if your butternut squash is ripe, look for a beige skin color; if it’s green, the squash isn’t ripe yet. Also, when roasting butternut squash, ensure that you lay the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer so each piece is cooked all the way through.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 4 cups)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
12 ounces whole wheat pasta

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat

Ready the oven and prepare squash for roasting.

Roast

Roast squash until tender and sauté aromatics.

Blend & Toss

Blend sauce, combine with pasta, and serve.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Once your butternut squash pasta sauce is cooled to room temperature, place it in an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze it for up to six months.

What if I don’t like sage?

You can use a different spice. Cumin or nutmeg are popular choices. It’s your recipe, so play around with the sauce until you get the flavor you like.

What if I can’t eat whole wheat pasta?

Choose gluten-free pasta or regular pasta if you can eat gluten but don’t enjoy whole wheat. You can also use this sauce on other foods, such as zoodles (zucchini noodles).

Serving Suggestions

Combine butternut squash sauce with pasta, from rigatoni to manicotti. Then sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, and add a dash of fresh herbs, like basil or parsley. You can also replace any red sauce, including pizza sauce, with butternut pasta sauce.

Butternut squash pasta sauce is a great base in casseroles, so try it as a replacement in some of your traditional favorites. For a simple casserole, combine the sauce with penne pasta, mix in some veggies, such as spinach or mushrooms, and sprinkle cheese on top before baking.

It’s even a great dipping option. Serve it as a dip for breadsticks or raw vegetables. I find it handy to keep on hand to dump into my tomato-based soups, such as vegetable soup. It helps thicken them, adds a beautiful color, and tastes fabulous.

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