Butternut Squash Pasta

5 from 1 vote

This creamy butternut squash pasta is the ultimate fall comfort food! The creamy and smooth butternut squash sauce is tossed with al dente pasta, and topped with diced crispy pancetta and plenty of parmesan cheese.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 872kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Ingredients

1 whole head garlic
1 medium butternut squash peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 pound thick spaghetti or bucatini pasta or any pasta
1 cup pancetta, small-diced
2 to 2 ½ cups whole milk plus more as needed
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
A pinch of ground nutmeg optional
Chopped Italian parsley for garnish, optional
Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Roast the veggies

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Prep the garlic for roasting: Cut ¼ inch off the top of the whole garlic (unpeeled). Place it on an aluminum foil sheet and generously drizzle with about olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Fold up the foil and close tightly. Set aside.
On a large sheet pan, toss the diced butternut squash with a few generous drizzles of olive oil, salt and pepper. On a separate sheet pan, do the same with the chopped onions, and place the prepared wrapped garlic on the sheet pan.
Roast for 35 minutes until caramelized and softened, tossing midway through. You may need to remove the onions a few minutes early.

Cook pasta and pancetta

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente in generously salted water. Reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Drain and run through cold water to stop the cooking process.
In a skillet, cook the diced pancetta until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Blend the sauce and toss with pasta

Once the vegetables are done roasting, transfer the butternut squash and onions into a blender. Squeeze out the garlic cloves into the blender. Add the milk and broth, blend over high speed until smooth, adding more milk as needed to make it creamy (some butternut squash are larger, so you’ll need more liquid).
Transfer the creamy squash mixture to a large skillet (or to the same pot you used to cook the pasta). Bring to a light simmer, and adjust the consistency by adding some of the reserved pasta water or more milk as needed. Season with the Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a pinch of ground nutmeg to taste.
Return the pasta into the pan and toss until coated with the creamy sauce. Serve with the crispy pancetta and grated parmesan cheese on top. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Notes

The amount of milk needed depends on the butternut squash's size. Adjust accordingly. You can also use half-and-half.
For flavor and richness, I'd recommend using whole milk or half-and-half.
Try not to use heavy cream (too thick). The squash mixture will be too heavy and thick. Try not to use skim milk either (too diluted).
Ground nutmeg is strong, so use just a pinch. It provides a warm, cozy flavor. You can omit it if that's not your thing.
Make ahead: You can 1) roast the veggies ahead, 2) make just the sauce ahead, or 3) make the entire dish from start to finish ahead and reheat later.
Reheating: Reheat over the stovetop or in the microwave oven, adding a generous splash of milk since the sauce will continue to thicken overnight.

Substitutions and variations:

Whole milk: 2 percent milk or half-and-half. Do not use heavy cream (too thick) or skim milk (too diluted).
Pasta: Any pasta type, whether long or short. Bucatini, spaghetti, pappardelle, linguine, penne, fusilli, and bowties all work well.
Pancetta: Crispy prosciutto, bacon.
Parmesan: Pecorino romano.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition