Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta (with No Cream!)

This cozy butternut squash pasta is autumn in a bowl! Roasted garlic, nutmeg, rosemary, and Gruyère cheese make the sauce rich and flavorful with no heavy cream needed.

Mediterranean cooking lends itself particularly well to the sweetness of butternut squash. We’re all about mixing sweet and savory–from adding tangy feta to beet salad to folding dried figs into braised chicken. 

I wanted to embrace that Mediterranean balancing act for this butternut squash pasta recipe. I roasted a whole head of garlic at the same time as the squash, concentrating its addictive sweet-savory flavor. A few spices from my drawer added warming, aromatic depth. Finally, nutty Gruyere and salty Pecorino Romano brought richness without heavy cream dulling the flavor. It’s everything you want in a fall pasta!

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients and Substitutions for this Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe
2. How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
1. Roast the Squash and Garlic
2. Make the Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
3. What to Serve with Butternut Squash Pasta
4. More Butternut Squash Recipes
5. Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions for this Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe

A few simple spices are what make this butternut squash pasta so special, transforming the sweet roasted squash into a savory, warming and rich sauce. You’ll need:

• Butternut squash: You’ll need a medium butternut squash, which is about 3 pounds.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I love a bold and peppery oil with this recipe, like our Spanish Hojiblanca. 
• Seasoning: Dried rosemary, sweet Spanish paprika, and ground nutmeg bring a cozy, aromatic quality. Salt and pepper perk everything up. 
• Garlic: Matches the squash’s sweet and savory qualities. 
• Pasta: Long pasta like spaghetti or linguini works especially well with the velvety sauce, but feel free to use any pasta you have. 
• Cheese: Pecorino Romano’s sharp tang and Gruyère’s nutty creaminess create a rich, balanced flavor. Swap with Parmesan and Fontina or Comté for a similar result.

How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

There are two secret ingredients to making a creamy, rich butternut squash pasta sauce without the cream: your food processor or blender and the pasta’s starchy cooking water. Here are the steps:

Roast the Squash and Garlic

• Get ready. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• Prepare the squash. Trim 1 medium butternut squash, then use a sharp peeler to peel the squash from top to bottom. Slice it in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Slice across into half moons, then cut the half moons into smaller cubes. 
• Season the squash. Arrange the cubes on a large sheet pan and season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to make sure the squash is well coated. Spread so all the cubes are in one single layer.
• Prepare the garlic. Use a serrated knife to slice the top 1/4 to 1/2-inch off a whole garlic bulb, exposing the tops of the cloves. Peel off the outermost loose papery skins. Put the garlic, cut side up, in a piece of foil. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
• Roast the squash and garlic. Fold the foil so it fully encases the garlic. Place it on the sheet pan with the butternut squash, then set on the middle rack of your heated oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then toss and roast for about 15 minutes more. When the butternut squash is very tender and charred in some parts, remove it from the oven and unwrap the garlic. 

Make the Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

• Cook the pasta. About halfway through roasting the squash, add the pasta to the boiling salted water. Cook according to package instructions to al dente. Before draining, Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta’s cooking water. Return the pot to the stove.
• Make the butternut squash sauce. Set aside 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the roasted squash, then put the remaining cubes into the large bowl of a food processor. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves into to the food processor. Add a good drizzle of olive oil and pulse a few times. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and puree until the squash is smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add 1 tablespoon of pasta water at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
• Season the sauce. Transfer the butternut squash mixture to the pot where you cooked the pasta and set to medium-low heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon each of rosemary, nutmeg, and paprika. Add 1/2 cup each of grated Pecorino Romano and Gruyere. If needed, add a splash more of the pasta cooking water or olive oil until the cheese is melted and the butternut squash is creamy and smooth.
• Finish and serve. Add the pasta to the butternut squash sauce and stir to combine. Gently fold in the reserved roasted squash. Divide into bowls, topping with more cheese if you’d like. Enjoy!

What to Serve with Butternut Squash Pasta

The butternut squash pasta sauce is rich and silky, so I recommend a bright and crunchy salad start. Apple walnut salad and fennel salad both come to mind. To round out this perfect autumn meal, keep things light yet cozy with baked pears.

More Butternut Squash Recipes

Italian

Butternut Squash Risotto

Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Easy Butternut Squash Recipe with Lentils and Quinoa

Sides and Small Plates

Fall Rotini Pasta Recipe with Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts

Vegan

Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Tahini and Hazelnut

Browse all Mediterranean recipes. 

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.