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Easy Fall Harvest Pasta with Butternut Squash

quick fall harvest pasta with butternut squash - featured image
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A quick and creamy butternut squash pasta that comes together in under 30 minutes. Shredded squash creates a silky sauce without the need for roasting, making it the perfect weeknight comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), washed and cut into chunks
  • 12 oz short-cut pasta (rigatoni, penne, or fusilli)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8–10 fresh sage leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Wash the butternut squash well. Cut off the stem and bottom tip, then cut crosswise into 3-4 inch chunks. Fit a food processor with a grating disc and grate the squash pieces. You should have about 4-5 cups of shreds.
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than suggested). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
  3. While the pasta cooks, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt, swirling occasionally, until it foams and then turns golden brown with a nutty aroma (about 2-3 minutes). Immediately add the fresh sage leaves and cook until crispy (about 30 seconds). Remove the sage leaves with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel.
  4. Add the sliced garlic to the browned butter and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add all the shredded butternut squash, a generous pinch of salt, and pepper. Stir to coat and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash softens and turns bright orange.
  5. Pour in the broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes until the squash is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
  6. Reduce heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and stir. Let it bubble gently for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper.
  7. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously with tongs to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water a splash at a time until desired consistency is reached.
  8. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and toss one more time until melted and glossy. Serve immediately in warm bowls, topped with crispy sage leaves, toasted walnuts or pecans, extra black pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

Shredding the squash instead of cubing it is the key to a quick, creamy sauce. Don’t skip toasting the nuts for added crunch and flavor. The pasta water is essential for a silky sauce—reserve it before draining.

Nutrition

Keywords: butternut squash pasta, fall pasta, quick pasta, harvest pasta, weeknight dinner, creamy pasta, vegetarian pasta

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