This Butternut Squash Pasta is cozy and creamy without any cream! Topped with crispy rosemary breadcrumbs for the perfect texture. Great for serving a crowd over the holiday season and simple enough for busy weeknights.
This pasta screams comfort food and tastes like the beautiful cozy Fall season. It’s made with a delicious sauce that's so much healthier than your regular creamy pasta. You guys all know I love making creamy dishes without any cream, and this is another one of those recipes such as my orzo pasta and tortellini soup.
The butternut squash is roasted with a whole head of garlic then blended with a secret ingredient…a mix of parmesan and ricotta cheese rather than any heavy cream. It adds a lovely richness and nutty flavor with the sauce hugging each pasta shape in all their little nooks. My favorite part is the rosemary pangrattato topping which are crispy breadcrumbs for the perfect little crunch. You can serve it over Thanksgiving and the holiday season as either a vegetarian main or side dish everyone will love!
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Quick & Easy: Everyday ingredients and simple steps anyone can make
- Delicious: A cozy creamy sauce that’s full of flavor without any cream
- Versatile: Perfect for weeknight dinners and great for serving a crowd over gatherings and the holidays
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Short pasta is best for this recipe - here I've used conchiglie (a shell pasta) which holds the creamy sauce perfectly. Orecchiette, penne, rotini, rigatoni or elbow pasta are other great options but any short pasta shape will do
- Butternut squash has a lovely sweetness and flavor once roasted. It also adds body to the creamy sauce. You can also use regular pumpkin if that's all you can find
- Brown onion gives the butternut squash sauce a nice base flavor especially once roasted. You can also use white onion or shallots for a milder flavor
- Whole garlic head may sound like a lot, but roasting the garlic whole brings out a mellow, caramelized flavor that blends beautifully into the sauce
- Rosemary adds a fragrant earthy note which makes the dish taste even more like the fall season. Thyme or fresh sage can be substituted but it will change the flavor profile
- Ricotta and parmesan cheese are added to create a creamy, cheesy flavor without needing heavy cream. Try dairy-free cheese or substitute with soaked blended cashews for a vegan option
- Extra virgin olive oil helps roast the veggies and adds a delicious richness
- Pangratatto (crispy breadcrumb topping). Made with stale bread or breadcrumbs, extra virgin olive oil, a garlic clove, rosemary, and parmesan cheese. All sautéed together to create crunchy toasted breadcrumbs, making the perfect topping to pasta dishes. You can also add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick
How to make Butternut Squash Pasta
This Butternut Squash Pasta is cozy, creamy and topped with crispy rosemary breadcrumbs for the perfect crunch. Great for weeknights or to serve a crowd during the holidays. Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Peel and chop the butternut squash and onion. Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves but keep the bulb intact. Add everything to a baking dish
Step 2: Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and tear over rosemary leaves. Toss to coat and add a light drizzle of oil on top of the garlic head
Step 3: Roast for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. If the garlic is still firm, put back in the oven while you prep the next steps
Step 4: Make the pangrattato. Heat olive oil and a whole garlic clove in a small pan over low-medium heat. Once golden, add breadcrumbs and stir through. Then add rosemary, parmesan and a pinch of salt
Step 5: Stir continuously for 5–10 minutes until golden brown, then set aside
Step 6: Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve a few cups of pasta water, then drain through a colander
Step 7: Once the roasted veggies have cooled slightly, squeeze out the garlic cloves and add all to a blender or food processor. Then add the ricotta, parmesan cheese, salt and ½ cup of pasta water
Step 8: Blend until smooth and creamy, then taste for seasoning
Step 9: Return the pasta to the pot and pour in the butternut squash puree. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and stir until coated in a creamy sauce, adding more paster water if needed
Step 10: For serving, spoon the pasta back into the baking dish and top with a generous sprinkle of pangrattato. Serve with extra pangrattato on the side and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Chop the butternut squash into similar sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly
- Always reserve some pasta water before draining, which helps create the creamy sauce
- If the butternut squash pasta sauce is too thick, add more pasta water slowly to thin it out
- Keep an eye when toasting the pangratatto breadcrumbs to ensure they become golden and don't burn
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Reheat in a pan over low heat with a splash of pasta water and drizzle of olive oil to loosen the sauce. You can also reheat in the microwave with a splash of water so it doesn't dry out
Serving Suggestions
This pasta tastes amazing as a main dish but also works great as a side dish alongside a vegetable pot pie or stuffed mushrooms for gatherings, especially over the holiday season.
Try serving it with roasted veggies such as smashed broccoli and parmesan potatoes. For a fresh side, try a crisp green salad or quinoa salad and fresh focaccia...yum!
FAQs
Yes you can boil the butternut squash instead, however if you bake or roast, it brings out an extra boost of flavor
Yes you sure can! It tastes absolute delicious with a sweet and creamy flavor once blended
Yes of course, replace ricotta and parmesan cheese with blended soaked cashews or nutritional yeast for a dairy-free creamy sauce such as my vodka pasta
More Holiday Recipes
More Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Butternut Squash Pasta (Creamy with Crispy Breadcrumbs)
Video
Ingredients
- 1.1lb / 500g short pasta - I've used conchiglie shell pasta
- 2.5lb / 1.1kg butternut squash
- 1 medium brown onion
- 1 small whole garlic head / bulb
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - or vegan parm
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Rosemary Pangrattato
- 1 cup breadcrumbs or 2-3 slices stale bread
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ / 200℃. Peel the butternut squash and chop into chunks along with the onion. Slice the top of the garlic head so the tops are exposed but keeping the bulb intact and add everything to a baking dish
- Add the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and pepper and tear over the rosemary leaves. Toss everything together so it's all coated and add a light drizzle of oil to the top of the garlic head
- Roast for 30 minutes until the squash has cooked through - check with a fork (if the garlic head is still firm, continue to cook it further while you prep the next steps)
- Whilst it's roasting make the pangrattato. Add the olive oil and a whole garlic clove to a small skillet over low-medium heat. Once the garlic is lightly golden brown, add the breadcrumbs and quickly stir through. Note if using stale bread, pulse in a blender to create breadcrumbs first
- Add the rosemary, parmesan, a pinch of salt and saute for 5-10 minutes continuously stirring so it doesn't burn until a golden brown color. Disregard the whole garlic clove and set the breadcrumbs aside. For a more detailed recipe, refer to my pangrattato recipe
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente - making sure to reserve a few cups of pasta water, then drain through a colander
- Once the veggies have slightly cooled, squeeze the garlic head so that the cloves pop out and add them to a large blender or food processor
- Add the ricotta and parmesan cheese to the blender with a good pinch of salt. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and blend until a smooth creamy puree. Taste for seasoning
- Add the cooked pasta back to the pot and pour over the butternut squash puree. Add ½ cup of pasta water and gently stir through until the pasta is coated and you have a beautiful creamy sauce (add more pasta water as you need if it seems too thick)
- As a serving suggestion, pour the pasta back into the same baking dish and garnish with a good sprinkle of pangrattato on top, leaving some on the side in small bowls for extra topping. Serve up your delicious creamy Butternut Squash Pasta and enjoy!
Caroline David says
Yet another beautiful and easy recipe from Ayeh! Defintely saving this one for our next family gathering!
Ayeh Manfre says
Yay amazing to hear Caroline!!