This pasta is so delicious and so easy, especially when you use my simple method for cooking butternut squash whole!
I’ll be the first to admit that I used to avoid butternut squash. Oh, I liked it. It’s delicious! But what I didn’t like was cooking it. Butternut squash is just so hard and large and awkwardly shaped that it’s really daunting to cut one up.
Well, if you’re like I used to be, I have great news. I’ve found several ways to cook butternut squash whole. No troublesome cutting and chopping! And that makes a bunch of yummy butternut squash dishes—like Mashed Butternut Squash and this simply delicious Butternut Squash Pasta—easy-peasy. Yay!
Cooking The Butternut Squash
As I mentioned, I’ve discovered that it’s easy to cook a butternut squash whole. My favorite way is in the oven—those directions are in the recipe below as well as this post on how to cook butternut squash whole.
All you have to do is pierce the squash a few times with a paring knife, put it on a foil-lined baking pan, and roast it. It takes a while, 60 to 80 minutes, but it’s hands-off time that I can be doing other things and it’s even something that can be done in advance.
But that’s not all—I’ve also figured out how to cook a whole butternut squash in the microwave and in an Instant Pot. So check out those posts if you want to try those methods.
Turning The Squash Into Pasta Sauce
While the squash is cooking, I simply sauté some sliced onions, garlic, and sage. Later, I’ll puree the mixture with the cooked squash, so it’s not even important that it’s cut or chopped perfectly—only that it’s tender.
Also while the squash is cooking, I start my pasta cooking water.
When the squash is done, I halve and seed it. If you do that while the squash is warm, the final sauce will also be warm—just do it carefully. Then I peel off the flesh or scoop it out with a spoon and add it to a blender or food processor.
I add the onion mixture from the skillet and a little of the boiling pasta water. And after a short puree—voila!—amazingly easy butternut squash pasta sauce.
Cook the pasta, drain it, and toss it with the sauce. And it’s butternut-alicious dinner time!
Enjoy, – Christine
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Butternut Squash Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This pasta is so delicious and so easy, especially when you use my simple method for cooking butternut squash whole!
Ingredients
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1 large butternut squash (3 to 3 ½ lb.)
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¼ cup olive oil
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½ onion, sliced
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½ tsp. salt, or more to taste
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½ tsp. pepper, or more to taste
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2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
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4 cloves garlic, smashed
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12 oz. spaghetti
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1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or a baking pan with foil.
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Put the squash in the pan. Poke it in 5-6 places with a sharp knife.
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Roast until a knife or skewer goes in easily, 60-80 minutes. It will be a mottled brown and a bit shriveled on the outside.
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Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 2-3 minutes. Add the sage and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil.
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When the squash is done, start cooking the spaghetti according to package directions.
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Meanwhile, cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh around them. Discard.
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Carefully remove the peel (or scoop the flesh out of the peel) and add the flesh to a blender or food processor. Add the onion mixture, including the drippings, and about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Blend or pulse to puree.
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Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
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Put the spaghetti in a large bowl. Add the squash mixture and toss. Add more water, salt, and pepper to taste.
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Serve sprinkled with the cheese.
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