Butternut squash pasta sauce is the perfect autumn comfort food recipe. This creamy vegetarian pasta sauce made from roasted squash is flavoured with fresh rosemary for a warming dinner.
Is this not just the most autumnal dish?
We tend to eat a lot of butternut squash as soon as the temperature starts to drop. Not only is it in season, it's also got a flavour that screams autumn to me.
This pasta sauce has a creamy sweetness from the squash and creme fraiche plus it's got a lovely herby flavour thanks to the rosemary sprigs which are fried gently in butter at the start of the cooking process.
I threw some spinach in there too which helps to break up the creaminess a little bit and also helps up the healthiness. Obviously we need to be upping those vitamins since it's now officially cold season!
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Why we love this butternut squash pasta sauce...
It's full of autumn flavour from the creamy butternut squash and fresh rosemary which makes it perfect for this time of year.
This is a delicious vegetarian recipe which is great for your meat free days.
It's such an easy recipe to make with minimal hands on time which makes it such a great weeknight dinner.
You can easily make this recipe vegan by leaving out the creme fraiche or switching it for a little coconut milk.
Ingredients
Butternut Squash: Or if you prefer you could try a different winter squash.
Butter: Makes the base of the sauce.
Rosemary: Gently fried to flavour the butter before making the rest of the sauce.
Creme Fraiche: If you're in the states you can substitute this with sour cream. I like the creamy tang this adds to the sauce but you could switch it for coconut milk if you want it to be vegan.
Spices: I like to add a pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg to get that warming richness.
Parmesan: I like to add a sprinkling of grated parmesan to this dish before serving to add a much needed touch of saltiness.
How to make it
Roast the squash: Place the squash pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Leave to cool slightly then blend until smooth.
Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the rosemary and fry gently for 5 minutes then remove the rosemary. Add the squash, creme fraiche, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper.
Finish the dish: Move cooked pasta from the water to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve topped with parmesan.
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce FAQs
To be honest, they're both pretty good for you, it mainly depends what you're looking for. I have even made a similar recipe to this using sweet potato (check out my sweet potato mac and cheese). Butternut squash is lower in calories and sugar and is high is calcium, magnesium and vitamins while sweet potato has more fibre and protein.
While crème fraîche is a common ingredient here in the UK I know that it's not used as often elsewhere. You can easily substitute sour cream in this recipe for a similar creamy tanginess. Cream could also be used although that will be slightly richer in flavour. Coconut milk will also work for a vegan alternative.
Want more? Try these other squash recipes!
- Butternut Squash Salad with Wild Rice
- Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus
- One Pot Orzo with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Four Cheese Butternut Squash Lasagne with Spinach
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Pancetta
- Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Recipe
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 small Butternut Squash peeled and quartered
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 3 sprigs Rosemary
- 4 tablespoon Crème Fraiche
- Pinch Cinnamon
- Pinch Nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper
- Pinch Chilli Flakes
- 300 g Fresh Spinach
- Parmesan to serve
- 400 g Pasta
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Put the squash quarters on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes until soft. Leave to cool for a few minutes then blend in a food processor until smooth.
- Put a pot of salted water on to get to a boil. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
- Melt the butter over a medium heat and add the rosemary sprigs. Cook gently for 5 minutes until the butter has browned slightly then remove the rosemary and set aside. Add the squash puree, crème fraiche, nutmeg, cinnamon and chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low to keep the sauce warm while the pasta finishes cooking. If the sauce is too thick then you can thin it slightly with extra crème fraiche or some vegetable stock.
- Add the pasta to the sauce along with the spinach and toss well to coat. Serve topped with grated parmesan.
Notes
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Vicky says
Love Butternut squash pasta. Delicious, healthy and simple to prepare. For next week. Thanks for sharing.
Brittany says
I've used pre-cut, frozen organic squash for this recipe many times before, which works fine. Usually use two 1lb bags and that's good for my liking. Fresh is always better, but some days time doesn't allow for that! I typically tend to use plain Greek yogurt rather than creme fraiche too. I think one time I even used sour cream because that was all I had. You can search for substitutes easily enough online that will help if you're in a pinch.
Chris says
Hi! I’m very interested in trying this recipe - just wondering if it stores well in the freezer? Or does it really need to be eaten within a shorter time frame?
Amy says
Hi Chris, yes, you could definitely freeze batches of the sauces by itself and then defrost and serve with freshly cooked pasta!
Jess says
Hi I have a question for you have you ever tried freezing this sauce? I want to make this in batches but didn't know how well it would freeze?
Amy says
Hi Jess, this sauce freezes well 🙂
Natalia says
I’ve just made this for my lunch today and I have to say it was insanely good! It’s good enough to serve up to friends if they come round for a meal but simple enough to knock up for one for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner. A proper winter warmer.
Julie Allen says
I was a bit nervous to make this sauce. First, I've been wanting to try a butternut sauce, esp. since my husband loves butternut. But I was unsure how it would really turn out. Then, I couldn't find a grocery store around here that carries creme fraiche so I used coconut milk. I was concerned that it would end up too sweet or have a coconut flavor. Especially after I doubled the amount of coconut milk to thin the sauce. And when the recipe says "a pinch" its a little ambiguous to me. I even have a measuring spoon that says, "a pinch" but I shook the spice in there with a few shakes. The recipe turned out great! I was so pleased and my husband loved it. Thank you for something simple and that tastes great!
Sarah says
Hello! I have already cubed butternut squash from the store, do you know about the equivalent of the measurement to use as one whole squash?
Amy says
Hi Sarah, you need about 3lbs or 1.3kilos of squash. You can roast for around 30 minutes instead of 40 if you're using cubed squash 🙂
Vanessa says
Love this recipe! It’s a new family favorite! I didn’t have creme fresh, so I used goat cheese for the tang...so good! I added 1 lb of ground turkey at the end. Making it again tonight!
Amy says
So glad you like it Vanessa, thank you for your lovely comment 🙂
Valerie says
I've never tried a butternut squash pasta sauce. I think my husband would love it, he loves squash and spinach.
Mahy says
Fabulous pasta sauce that will work great with so many of my favorite recipes. I have a feeling that I may have found my new go-to pasta sauce!
Danielle Wolter says
This looks like such an incredible pasta sauce. I can't wait to try it - so creamy and delicious!
Megan Ellam says
Wow Amy this looks like a super delish recipe. I love the use of rosemary and creme fråiche in the recipe too to break the sweetness.
Emese says
I've never tried butternut squash pasta with cinnamon and nutmeg. It sounds so intriguing. I added to my must-have list. Thanks.