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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    03/11/2019 Dinner Recipes

    Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

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    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?

    Blue bowl of butternut squash pasta sauce with spinach on marble background

    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 helps up the healthiness a little bit. Obviously we need to be upping those vitamins since it's now officially cold season!

    Overhead shot of a white pot of butternut pasta with spinach on a cream cloth
    Close up of a blue bowl of squash pasta sauce on a marble background

    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.

    Overhead shot of butternut squash sauce with pasta in a blue bowl
    Autumn pasta with spinach on a marble background

    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: 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.

    Creamy butternut squash pasta with spinach in a white pot
    Blue bowl of squash pasta sauce on a marble background

    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.

    Overhead shot of butternut squash pasta sauce with spinach in a blue bowl

    Is butternut squash healthier than sweet potato?

    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.

    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
    Overhead shot of butternut squash sauce with pasta in a blue bowl

    Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

    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.
    4.43 from 33 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 529kcal
    Author: Amy Fulwood

    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
    UK Measures - US Measures

    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.
    Nutrition Facts
    Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 529 Calories from Fat 90
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 10g15%
    Saturated Fat 5g25%
    Cholesterol 21mg7%
    Sodium 73mg3%
    Potassium 900mg26%
    Carbohydrates 97g32%
    Fiber 7g28%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 20181IU404%
    Vitamin C 39mg47%
    Calcium 124mg12%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the ingredients used.
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycookreport on Instagram and hashtag it #thecookreport!

    Like the look of this recipe? Make sure you pin it for later!

    Pinterest image of butternut squash pasta sauce with text overlay
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emese says

      November 05, 2019 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      I've never tried butternut squash pasta with cinnamon and nutmeg. It sounds so intriguing. I added to my must-have list. Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Megan Ellam says

      November 05, 2019 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    3. Danielle Wolter says

      November 05, 2019 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      This looks like such an incredible pasta sauce. I can't wait to try it - so creamy and delicious!

      Reply
    4. Mahy says

      November 05, 2019 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    5. Valerie says

      November 05, 2019 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      I've never tried a butternut squash pasta sauce. I think my husband would love it, he loves squash and spinach.

      Reply
    6. Vanessa says

      March 16, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        March 19, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        So glad you like it Vanessa, thank you for your lovely comment 🙂

        Reply
    7. Sarah says

      May 26, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Amy says

        May 27, 2020 at 6:56 pm

        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 🙂

        Reply
    8. Julie Allen says

      November 22, 2020 at 3:40 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    9. Natalia says

      December 15, 2020 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    10. Jess says

      October 19, 2021 at 12:44 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Amy says

        December 01, 2021 at 7:50 pm

        Hi Jess, this sauce freezes well 🙂

        Reply
    11. Chris says

      October 25, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Amy says

        December 01, 2021 at 7:49 pm

        Hi Chris, yes, you could definitely freeze batches of the sauces by itself and then defrost and serve with freshly cooked pasta!

        Reply
    12. Brittany says

      November 14, 2021 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    13. Vicky says

      March 27, 2022 at 10:21 am

      5 stars
      Love Butternut squash pasta. Delicious, healthy and simple to prepare. For next week. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

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