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Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach is a perfect Autumn comfort food. This easy and flavorful recipe is packed with veggies (roasted butternut squash and spinach) and will become your favorite Fall and Winter family weeknight dinner!
Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta - Seasonal and Holiday Main Course
Butternut squash pasta is one of those recipes you would probably make only in the Fall and Winter when the butternut squash is in season. Which makes this pasta so much more special! It's so good I hope you will be looking forward to making it every year! My other favorite butternut squash pasta dish that I highly recommend is butternut squash and spinach lasagna.
This easy pasta is also a great holiday main course. If you want to expand your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, add this colorful and flavorful roasted butternut squash pasta to your holiday menu! Another fantastic holiday recipe is Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries.
Why Make Butternut Squash Pasta
This roasted butternut squash pasta is one of those rare pasta recipes that combine both comfort food deliciousness and healthy ingredients. This pasta is surely comforting yet it's packed with fiber and nutrients. A perfect family weeknight dinner!
- Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as several minerals, including magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Butternut squash is also rich in dietary fiber.
- Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It's high in fiber and a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, iron, and calcium.
How To Make Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- Bow Tie Pasta. This recipe uses an Italian pasta, called Farfalle, or bow tie pasta. The bow-tie shape of this pasta works very well with the cubed butternut squash and adds an appealing look to your dinner. Cook bow-tie pasta al dente for best texture.
- Butternut Squash. This wonderful vegetable is known for its subtly sweet and nutty flavor. In this recipe, butternut squash is roasted with olive oil and acquires a nice soft texture on the inside with a little crunch on the outside.
- Sausage. If you have a spicy sausage somewhere in your fridge or freezer, this is the recipe to use it! Spicy sausage will blend exceptionally well with sweet and nutty butternut squash and creamy pasta sauce. Use crumbled sausage without casings. Any type of pork sausage, spicy sausage, or Italian sausage will work!
- Spinach. Spinach adds flavor, texture, and colorfulness to this pasta dish.
How to Roast Butternut Squash
For everything you need to know about roasting this fantastic vegetable, refer to my recipe on how to roast butternut squash.
The butternut squash should be peeled, seeded, and cubed. You can do it yourself or buy cubed butternut squash in the store. Tip: If you peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash ahead (or bought cubed squash in the store), you can store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Use cubed butternut squash within 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Combine butternut squash with 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss together.
- Then, spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Make sure the butternut squash is not overcrowded. This way the air can circulate around the squash in the oven and the squash roasts properly instead of steaming. Roasted this way, without overcrowding, will give squash a slightly crunchy texture on the outside. This will ensure that the squash is roasted and not steamed.
- Roast the squash in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.
How To Make Creamy Pasta Sauce
While the butternut squash is being roasted, prepare the cream sauce.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil together with 4 minced garlic cloves and 6 oz of spinach. Cook on medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the spinach starts to wilt.
- Add heavy cream. Bring to boil and immediately reduce to a low or medium boil.
- Add shredded Parmesan cheese while the sauce simmers, constantly stirring.
- Season with salt to taste, about ¼ teaspoon of salt. Note: No salt is necessary if the sausage is very salty.
Cook Sausage
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add crumbled sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, regularly stirring, until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
How Long to Cook Pasta
- Usually, the pasta is cooked in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Always check the cooking time on the package instructions for precise times of cooking pasta.
- To prepare any pasta al dente, cook pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes, or for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.
Assemble the Pasta
- Add drained cooked pasta and cooked sausage to the creamy spinach sauce in the skillet. Stir. Season with salt and pepper.
- Top with roasted butternut squash. Stir it in, or leave butternut squash on top.
Tips on Making Pasta Ahead
Make-ahead Tip: Roast butternut squash up to 2 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use. Reheat it briefly in the microwave (for about 30 seconds) before adding it to the pasta. Or, just add it to the creamy pasta sauce, stir it in and reheat it in the cream sauce.
How to Store, Freeze, Reheat Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
- Refrigerate. Store leftover butternut squash pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. You can freeze butternut squash pasta in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat. Reheat the pasta gently on the stovetop in the skillet over medium heat, stirring halfway through. Add extra milk or heavy cream to thin out the sauce.
It's always best to serve bow tie pasta (or any pasta) al dente. That's when the pasta texture is at its best. Storing cooked pasta for a day or two will cause the pasta to lose its perfect texture, however, it will still taste great.
Also, keep in mind that the cream sauce when refrigerated loses its texture and becomes thick. To reheat it the next day, reheat over medium heat and add extra milk or heavy creamy when reheating to thin out the sauce.
Substitutions
- Pasta. Use any type of short pasta. That includes farfalle (bow-tie pasta), penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette. You can also use gnocchi.
- Spinach. This butternut squash pasta will work equally well with spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or arugula. Pick the greens of your choice, add them to the pasta, and enjoy!
- Sausage. Use crumbled sausage without casings. Regular or spicy pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean brand) is a great choice. Crumbled Italian sausage or spicy Italian sausage is another excellent option.
- Cheese. Use shredded Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, or Asiago. You can also use shredded low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese. Do not use soft Mozzarella cheese balls.
- Cream. If you don't have heavy cream, you can use half-and-half instead and add more shredded cheese to thicken the sauce.
Other Butternut Squash Pasta Recipes
Butternut squash is an amazing vegetable that pairs beautifully with pasta, whether the squash is roasted or pureed. Here are some delicious butternut squash pasta recipes to explore:
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Pecans
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Pasta
- Salad. Because this pasta has a rich creamy sauce with lots of veggies, any type of simple fresh salad will make an excellent pairing. Serve this pasta with a simple spinach salad with pine nuts and Parmesan or cranberry spinach salad with cashews and goat cheese. Or, pair the pasta with the colorful and easy-to-make arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans.
- Bread. Serve the pasta with warm garlic bread or olive bread. If you want to venture out and make your own simple loaf - try this easy bread recipe made in a bread machine.
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 2 cups butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lb sausage , crumbled, without casings
Creamy Pasta Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 6 oz spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pasta
- 8 oz farfalle (bow tie pasta)
Instructions
Roast Butternut Squash
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
- Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
Cook Sausage
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
- Add crumbled sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, regularly stirring, until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Tip: Cook the sausage while the butternut squash is being roasted.
Make Creamy Sauce
- In a separate, large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil together with minced garlic and spinach over medium heat. Cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 or 7 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
- Add heavy cream. Bring to a brief boil, then immediately reduce to simmer (boiling but not intensely). Add shredded Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring the sauce with the Parmesan cheese on low to medium boil (simmer) until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
- Season with salt to taste, about ¼ teaspoon of salt. No salt might be necessary if the sausage is very salty.
- Tip: Use your judgment about whether to add salt or not based on how salty the sausage is. Make the cream sauce while the butternut squash is being roasted.
Cook Pasta and Assemble
- Cook pasta al dente in boiling water according to package instructions. That usually means cooking pasta in boiling water for about 7 to 11 minutes. Drain.
- To a large skillet with the creamy spinach sauce, add drained cooked pasta and cooked sausage. Stir. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Top the pasta with roasted butternut squash. Stir the squash in, or leave it on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely delicious, I do need to see if there’s an easier way to peel the butternut squash, my goodness it’s hard! Other than that came together well, family gave it two thumbs up!
I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Could not agree more about peeling the butternut squash - it's a workout! Last time I used a vegetable peeler, and an old one at that. I think a sharper and larger vegetable peeler might do an easier job.
check the produce section at your grocery store. squash is often sold already cubed. You should also be able to find it frozen too.
Cathy, great feedback! I always snatch cubed butternut squash if I see it in the store!
Yum! This dish was delicious! I made it for friends who were sick and they absolutely loved it. I tried a few bites before dropping it off for them and immediately wished I had doubled it. I left out the hot spices and it was perfect for our Midwestern taste buds. 😉 I'm making it again tonight for our family and we're all looking forward to it. Absolute comfort food.
Rebecca, your comment made my day! 🙂 I love feedback like yours - with a story behind cooking the recipe. You had me smiling when I read that you had a few bites (before dropping it off for friends) and wished you doubled the recipe (to save some for yourself). 🙂
I have to admit I was a little concerned about seasoning but I always make a new dish by the recipe before tinkering with it. So glad I did -- this is a keeper! The sauce was perfect; just enough to pull everything together without being heavy. May use kale the next time for more texture with the creamy deliciousness of the squash. Thank you, Julia! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Stephanie, I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! 🙂 Kale will be delicious here!
Hi Rebecca, may I ask what type of sausage you use? I want to make this tomorrow, but don’t know which one. Enjoy your meal with friends and family!
Hi Deb, I am not Rebecca, but I will provide my input. If you like things spicy, I would use spicy Italian sausage. If you don't like it spicy, use sweet Italian sausage. Also, regular pork sausage, such as Jimmy Dean brand, works well, too.
MaSusande this for dinner tonight. Was a little disappointed as it was bland, we like spice and a bit of heat so I'll probably use hot sausage next time. I'm thinking maybe some Italian spices would have kicked it up a notch. Love all the flavors and butternut squash, just needs some thing more.
Susan, thank you so much for the feedback! Yes, spicy Italian sausage would work great to add some spice. Also, you can try crushed red pepper flakes or smoked paprika.
So good! I made this for my husband and he told me several times how much he loved it. Perfect fall comfort food. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Robin, I am so happy this recipe was a success! Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share this positive comment!
Amazing recipe!!!! This was a huge hit with my family of 5!!!
Wonderful! I am very happy to hear that, Laura!
Tried this tonight but I did things a lil different. I used torn apart pieces of rotisserie chicken in place of the sausage and used chopped onion in place of the garlic but I still used garlic powder since that's all I had on hand, also added chopped mushrooms to the dish. It was delicious.
Holly, so glad you liked this recipe! Love your changes - the added mushrooms sound delicious!
I made this quick and simple lunch for my husband and parents today. They LOVED it. I did add cumin to the cream sauce but other than that I followed the recipe pretty much as written.
Two tips for others making this:
1. This was my first time breaking down and roasting a butternut squash. Not at all difficult with a good knife and carrot peeler! See https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/how-to-peel-seed-and-cut-butternut-squash/ for great instructions.
2. When the squash was cooked through I turned the broiler on to get them crispy and better browned on the outside.
Alison, I am so delighted you tried this recipe and liked it! Love the addition of cumin - one of my favorite spices. And, thanks for the tips about roasting the butternut squash!
Hi,
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream? Will it work?
Hi Kayla! Yes, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream! If the sauce is too thin, you can bring the sauce to boil, add a small amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (and keep stirring on low-medium simmer) to thicken it.
Made this recipe tonight! It was absolutely delicious, and so flavorful!❤️
I am so happy to hear that! And, thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂 I really appreciate it!!
I was looking for something new to do with the butternut squash I had. I made this exactly as written. It was beyond delicious! Two thumbs up!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to share a 5-star review! 🙂 I really appreciate it!
This was SOOOOO tasty. I doubled the recipe because I had a lb of hot Italian sausage and used 50% spinach/50% arugula. I have already shared this recipe with multiple friends & family... this is a MUST TRY!
Ashley, your comment made my day! So happy you enjoyed this recipe and shared it with your friends and family. Thank you for the 5-star review - I appreciate it!!! 🙂
I made this with kale. So good. Thank you for the recipe!
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Are you able to use frozen butternut squash? If so, how would you alter the recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen butternut squash (peeled and cubed). You don't even need to thaw it. Toss it, still frozen, with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast it following the recipe instructions.
This started out to find a recipe to use a butternut squash my niece had given me. This is a definite save and I’m going to plant squash next year! Recipe was easy to follow. My husband says it smelled wonderful and looked like something you would get at a restaurant. Then he tasted it….loved it! Thank you so much
Julie, your comment made my day! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for the 5-star review - I really appreciate it! 🙂
My wife used locally raised bison instead of sausage and it was wonderful. My son and I had to make it and were surprised at how easy it really was if you you followed the order of cooking. Thank you.
Lawrence, you are very welcome! I am glad you found this recipe useful and tasty!
I’ve made a lot of pasta dishes in my day, but I think this is the best one I’ve tried! Really delicious! I sautéed onions with the sweet Italian sausage, and it was just soooooo good! This would be great if I have friends over because it makes a lot
Lauren, I am so glad you liked this! Thank you for taking the time to share a 5-star review - I really appreciate it! 🙂