Get ready for this delicious vegetarian dinner recipe, Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta. Made with roasted butternut squash, and spinach, this homemade creamy sauce pairs perfectly with your favorite noodles.
This noodle dish can be enjoyed all year long! Especially during the fall season, you can find happiness in this tasty meal. It also makes a great winter meal and we've added it to our list of Christmas Lunch Ideas.
Made without heavy cream, this version of Alfredo is one of our favorite go-to recipes. Be sure to see our various versions with Rattlesnake Pasta, Jerk Chicken (Rasta) Pasta, and Cajun Shrimp Pasta. Or dive into our Five Cheese Marinara. For more fun fall pasta dishes try this pumpkin risotto.
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Ingredients
There are a lot of ingredients that go into this dish. Don't be overwhelmed with the amount, it is a quick and easy recipe to make.
Roasted butternut Squash
- Olive oil - we find this oil pairs the best with the squash giving it the best taste.
- Rosemary- Use dried rosemary instead of fresh for easier access.
- Nutmeg-ground
Alfredo Sauce
- Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. If you use salted, be sure to adjust the additional salt you may add to the dish.
- Onion- The onion adds great flavor when it is finely minced. The flavor will be noticed more than the texture.
- Garlic- use fresh minced garlic for the best taste, you may use garlic powder as a substitute as well.
- Flour- All purpose white flour.
- Whole milk- Whole milk will give you best results and similar textures as the recipe pictures. You may substitute with heavy cream, or lower percentages of milk, knowing that the texture may be different.
- Rosemary- use dried or fresh.
- Nutmeg- ground
- Butternut Squash- cubed and roasted in the oven or air fryer.
- Spinach- we love using fresh spinach for this recipe but frozen will work as well.
- Parmesan cheese- either grated or shredded cheese will work in this recipe.
- Fettuccini Noodles- While these noodles complete the Alfredo look, feel free to use your favorite type of noodle such as penne or bow tie as a substitution.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
Follow these step-by-step instructions for the best results. This is a fun recipe to make for a large group.
- Cook the noodles and cook the butternut squash. While the noodles cook. Melt the butter and saute the onions. Add the flour to make a roux.
2. One cup at a time, stir in the milk. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the dried spices.
3. Stir in the cooked butternut squash and the fresh spinach leaves.
5. Mix altogether until the spinach leaves are wilted and well mixed.
6. Finally add the cooked Fettuccini noodles to the sauce and lightly toss until the noodles are coated.
Hint: Cook the butternut squash the night before or earlier in the day and store in the refrigerator until ready to use to help cut down on prep time.
Substitutions
Here are a list of substitutions for your creamy butternut squash pasta you can use to help adapt to your preferences.
- Arugula- instead of fresh spinach, use arugula or other greens you may prefer.
- Kale- add fresh or frozen kale in addition or instead of fresh spinach.
- Heavy Cream-use heavy cream as a substitute or addition to the milk.
- Sweet Potatoes- if you have a small butternut squash or don't love butternut squash, roast sweet potatoes instead or in addition.
Variations
Spice this vegetarian meal up with some added protein, or make it spicy!
- Bacon- add cooked and chopped bacon as a garnish, or mix into the sauce.
- Apple Sausage- add cooked apple sausage, cut into small rounds, to the sauce.
- Spicy- with a dash of crushed red pepper, you can spice up this meal to your preferred temperature.
- Chicken- sliced grilled or baked chicken is the perfect protein addition to this veggie pasta meal.
Learn From Us
I was inspired to make this recipe when I had a similar dish but in lasagna form. It was so good but it took so long to prepare. This dish is purposely made to be enjoyed with little effort.
Make the butternut squash in the air fryer with this Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe.
This makes a large batch! Be prepared to have lots of leftovers or to half the recipe if you are making for a smaller group.
Storing Butternut Squash Alfredo
Store leftover pasta in an airtight dish in the refrigerator fo 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
This meal as a whole does not freeze well. You can freeze the cooked butternut squash to be used in this recipe at a later time.
Top tip
Make sure to add one cup of milk at a time when making the sauce. Stir until the sauce is smooth and then add the additional milk. This will help work the roux into the liquid to create the right consistency.
Recipe
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 butternut squash chopped into ½ inch by ½ inch squares about 3-4 cups
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Creamy Pasta Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 onion finely minced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 4 cloves fresh, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- 1 teaspoon table salt use less if preferred
- 2 cups spinach fresh
- 3 cups Roasted Butternut Squash roasted or air fried
- 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese grated or shredded
- 1 pound Fettuccini pasta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 420
- Cut squash into ½ inch by ½ inch pieces. In a large bowl mix the chopped squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and rosemary. Spread the seasoned butternut squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast the squash for 20 minutes or until tender. A fork should slide through the squash easily.
- Once the squash is roasted prepare the noodles according to package instructions.
- While the noodles cook, melt the butter on medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add in the garlic and diced onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add in the flour and mix until it makes a paste.
- Add the milk one cup at a time. Stir after the first cup to make a smooth mixture. Once all the milk is added, stir until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Mix in the parmesan cheese. Then add the rosemary, nutmeg, and salt. Toss in the spinach and mix until the spinach begins to wilt. Gently fold in the butternut squash.
- Mix in the drained and cooked pasta with the creamy pasta sauce. Toss until the noodles are well coated.
Notes
- Roast your butternut squash the day before to have on hand when needed. It warms back up perfectly and tastes great.
- Cut the butternut squash into ½ inch by ½ inch pieces in order for them to soften quickly.
- Make the butternut squash in the air fryer with this Air Fryer Butternut Squash recipe.
- This makes a large batch! Make sure to half if you are making for a small group.
Brooklyn says
This is so good! Love the nutmeg taste!
Jeanette says
We had this pasta tonight and it was soo good! It's the perfect fall meal - the creamy sauce paired with the squash and nutmeg. My family gobbled it up!