This creamy butternut squash pasta sauce is ready in just 30 minutes with no oven needed. I boil the butternut squash to keep the squash flavor front and center, then blend it until smooth and creamy. Heavy cream gives the pasta sauce a silky texture, while freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a little sage add a savory element that pairs perfectly with butternut squash.
When I developed this butternut squash pasta sauce recipe, I wanted the sauce to actually taste like butternut squash! That's why I boil instead of roast and skip ingredients like onion, garlic, and tomato. They can overpower butternut's natural flavor.
Boiling the squash is also faster than roasting, and there's no sheet pan to scrub afterward! The sauce is made in one pot from start to finish.
This is a great butternut pasta sauce for ravioli, but it's equally as delicious mixed with tortellini or plain pasta. You can top it with your favorite protein, or serve it as-is with a side of buttery broiled garlic bread. Either way, you can't go wrong!
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If you're looking for another creamy fall pasta recipe, try my pumpkin mac and cheese next! It's made with pumpkin puree and ricotta cheese, then topped with crispy sage and panko breadcrumbs.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Butternut squash - You'll need 3-3 ½-pound butternut squash or about 6 heaping cups of peeled and cubed squash.
- Vegetable broth - A small amount is added to the cooked squash before blending to help it blend more smoothly. You can substitute chicken broth or water if needed.
- Heavy cream - Adds richness and a creamy texture. Half-and-half would also work, but the sauce will be a little thinner.
- Parmesan cheese - Freshly shredded is a must because it needs to smoothly melt into the butternut sauce. I only use Parmesan cheese and skip cheddar cheese because cheddar makes the sauce taste too mac and cheese-like.
- Sage - I use dried sage because it's easier to keep on hand, and a little goes a long way. Sage complements butternut squash really well and plays into the fall flavors in this recipe.
- Garlic powder - Garlic powder adds a slight garlic flavor without overpowering the recipe. I felt fresh garlic would be too strong.
If you have extra butternut squash on hand, try my sheet pan chicken and butternut squash recipe! It's a complete dinner with chicken thighs and roasted vegetables.
Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. You can get this going while you prep the squash.
- Peel and chop the butternut squash into roughly 1" cubes.
- You'll need 6 heaping cups of chopped squash.
- Add the squash to the boiling water and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, drain, and return the cooked squash to the saucepan.
- Add the vegetable stock and then blend the stock and squash until smooth using an immersion blender. Visual cue: It will look like baby food puree at this point.
- Turn the heat back on to medium, stir in the heavy cream, and bring the sauce to a low boil.
- As soon as the sauce starts to bubble, turn off the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, and sage.
- The recipe makes about 4 cups, the perfect amount for one pound of cooked pasta.
- This butternut squash pasta sauce is very thick and creamy. Feel free to thin it to your liking, using an extra splash of heavy cream or vegetable broth.
If you're looking for a side dish that features butternut squash, try this roasted butternut and beet salad. You serve it over fresh greens with goat cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts.
What to serve with Butternut Sauce
- Pasta - Toss the butternut sauce with your favorite pasta, such as penne, macaroni shells, fusilli, or tortellini.
- Ravioli - Serve the sauce over cheese ravioli, butternut squash ravioli, or pumpkin ravioli.
- Add a protein - If you're tossing the sauce into pasta, these recipes for blackened chicken thighs and skillet chicken breast are both great options. Sautéed shrimp and scallops, Italian sausage, or turkey meatballs would also pair well with the butternut pasta sauce.
- Add a pasta topping - Finish the pasta dish with extra parm, chopped fresh sage, crumbled crispy bacon pieces, or red pepper flakes.
Recipe Testing Tips
- Save some pasta water. You can use it to thin the sauce if needed.
- Peeling and chopping butternut squash can be tricky! Make sure you use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin, cut off both the stem and the base to create a stable surface, and use a spoon to remove the seeds and guts. You can grip the squash with a clean paper towel if it becomes slippery.
- Using an immersion blender. Blend the squash directly in the pot with the immersion blender head fully submerged to prevent splattering (hot splatter can burn). Tilt the pot as needed to reach all the pieces of squash.
- Taste before serving. Feel free to add more salt or rubbed sage if you'd like.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- To reheat: The butternut sauce thickens as it cools, so it benefits from an extra splash of heavy cream during reheating to help loosen it up. I add a tablespoon at a time, stir it in, then microwave for 30 seconds. I repeat these steps as needed.
- To store: Store this pasta sauce as you would any sauce - in the fridge in a glass, airtight container for up to 3 days.
Looking for another vegetable-forward pasta sauce? My ground pork bolognese sauce is packed with vegetables and has a heartier, meaty flavor.
FAQs
Thin your sauce using heavy cream, broth, or water. Add ¼ cup at a time, stir it in well, and repeat as needed until you reach your desired consistency. You may need to adjust the seasonings after adding more ingredients.
Adding more squash puree would be ideal, but you likely don't have extra on hand and ready to go. I think the easiest way to thicken the butternut sauce is to stir in more shredded Parmesan cheese.
Yes, I recently tested the recipe using a regular blender. Let the squash mixture cool first, don't fill the blender more than halfway (work in batches), and allow steam to escape according to your blender's instructions. I needed to add about ⅓ cup extra broth to help the blender pull in the squash pieces.
Yes, frozen butternut squash works just as well as fresh, and it saves a ton of time and energy! Since it's already partially cooked, it will begin softening as soon as it's added to the boiling water. There's no need to wait for the water to return to a boil or cook it for another 10 minutes. Just let it sit in the hot water for a few minutes until soft enough to blend.
More Pasta Recipes to Make
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (No Roasting)
Ingredients
- 3-3.5 pound butternut squash or 6 heaping cups peeled and cubed squash
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage leaf
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. You can get this started while you peel and chop the squash.
- Peel and chop the squash. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into roughly 1-inch cubes. You'll need 6 heaping cups of chopped squash for this recipe.
- Boil the squash. Add the cubed squash to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or until fork-tender. A fork should easily slide through the cubes without resistance.
- Drain the squash. Remove the saucepan from the heat, turn off the burner, and carefully drain the squash in a colander. Return the cooked squash to the saucepan.
- Blend the squash. Add the vegetable broth to the saucepan. Use an immersion blender to blend the squash and broth until completely smooth. The mixture will be very thick, with a consistency similar to baby food puree. Make sure there are no remaining chunks of squash.
- Add the heavy cream. Place the saucepan back on the stove over medium heat and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Add the seasonings and Parmesan. As soon as the sauce begins to bubble, turn off the heat. Stir in the shredded Parmesan, salt, garlic powder, and sage until the cheese is melted.
- Serve and enjoy! This recipe makes about 4 cups, enough to coat 1 pound of cooked pasta. Toss the sauce with pasta while it's warm, as it will thicken even more as it cools. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Peeling and chopping butternut squash can be tricky! Make sure you use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin, cut off both the stem and the base to create a stable surface, and use a spoon to remove the seeds and guts. You can grip the squash with a clean paper towel if it becomes slippery.
- Using an immersion blender: Blend the squash directly in the pot with the immersion blender head fully submerged to prevent splattering (hot splatter can burn). Tilt the pot as needed to reach all the pieces of squash.
- The nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
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