Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (No Roasting)
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.
Servings: 6
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!
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 15360IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online at sugarandsnappeas.com!