Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta combines a velvety, creamy sauce with fettuccini noodles. This healthier meatless pasta is full of protein and vitamins, and will impress even the pickiest of eaters!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 581kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion - chopped
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 4-5 cups) - peeled and cubed (small cubes)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth plus a tablespoon or more (to desired consistency)
- 2-3 Tablespoons half and half or more, if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - or more
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 pound fettuccini noodles
- fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese - to serve
Instructions
- Prep the butternut squash. Slice both ends of the squash off. Use a potato peeler to peel the skins off the squash. Then cube the squash while removing the seeds.
- Roast the veggies. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add 4-5 cups (or a little more for the squash garnish) of the cubed squash and the sliced onions to a sheet pan prepared with parchment paper. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast until the veggies are fork tender (approximately 25-30 minutes)1 medium butternut squash (about 4-5 cups), 1/2 medium yellow onion, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sauté the garlic. Add the butter to a stock pot over LOW heat, and add the minced garlic. Stir with a spatula for about a minute. Be careful to avoid burning the garlic!4 Tablespoons butter, 3 cloves garlic
- Puree veggies. Add the roasted squash and onion to a large blender. Then add the sautéed garlic (with the butter) and 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the blender. Puree until smooth.1 1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth
- Make the sauce. Pour the blended veggies into the stock pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, half and half, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and salt/pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Lastly, add the ricotta cheese and stir until creamy and heated through.2-3 Tablespoons half and half, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Cook pasta. Meanwhile, cook the fettuccini pasta (or other pasta of your choice) in some salty water. (Salt adds FLAVOR.) Cook until the pasta is al dente.1 pound fettuccini noodles
- Combine. Add the cooked fettuccini to the pot of sauce and stir to combine. You may also want to add some pasta water to the sauce to thin it slightly.
- Serve. Test sauce to make sure you have the right amount of seasonings. Serve pasta with some extra parmesan cheese and some fresh basil. ENJOY!fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips and Variations:
- You can either roast the butternut squash or cook it in the stock pot. Either way works. Just make sure you puree the veggies after they're tender and then add it back to the pot.
- I like to reserve some squash for serving, but this is optional.
- If you roast the veggies, you'll need to add some broth to the blender when you puree them.
- Adding parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese to the sauce will add some creaminess and saltiness. You can also add other types of cheese, but make they are easy-to-melt cheese.
- Always reserve some pasta water in case you need it to thin the sauce.
- Instead of fettuccini, feel free to use different types of pasta - like regular spaghetti, rotini, or rigatoni.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 755mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 13833IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 285mg | Iron: 3mg