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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.
So delicious! I added a little kick with crushed red pepper to the butternut squash. This will be a staple this season. Thank you!
Janette, I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Love the addition of some spice to the pasta!
Making this now and already excited to eat it tonight!!
Any recommendations for freezing this recipe for future consumption? I was wondering your ideas for assembling and freezing — I was definitely thinking I’d cook the pasta when I was ready to reheat, but what do you think about assembling sausage, squash and sauce and freezing that all together?
Yes, you can freeze all the ingredients (without the pasta) and cook the pasta right when ready to serve. I think that's a great idea! When reheating, you might have to add milk or half-and-half to thin out the sauce.
Do you want to drain the water from the spinach after it wilts?
Yes, if there is water (liquid) in the skillet after wilting spinach - drain it!
I was looking how to incorporate more veggies into my children’s diet and i landed on this recipe. It looks so delicious i will be buying the ingredientes to make it for halloween. I will use black bean pasta with the butternut squash for a halloween look. I guess i can also use sweet potatoes and pumpkin for variety. Thanks for sharing, i cant wait!
Tamara, I am so glad you found this recipe and will be making it for Halloween. Black bean pasta sounds like a very creative way to add some dark color to the dish. Yes, this recipe will work with sweet potatoes and pumpkin too, even though butternut squash is my favorite.
Could I use half n half instead of the heavy. Cream?
Yes, use either half-and-half or heavy cream - both will work well!
Holy moly! This was amazing! My kids even loved & already requested it for lunch tomorrow. Thanks so much!
Stacy, I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for such an enthusiastic comment! It made my day!
This looks amazing, I can not wait to try it! I was wondering if you could substitute FF half & half for the heavy cream and how do you think it would be with ground chicken or turkey if I can not find turkey sausage that’s not to high in sodium ? We have to watch sodium and saturated fat (my husband had a heart attack 5 years ago).
Yes, you can use either half-and-half or heavy cream - it should work similarly. This recipe will work great with ground turkey or ground chicken. In fact, I made it! Here is the recipe:
Ground Turkey Pasta with Butternut Squash and Spinach
So great! Recommend adding a healthy pinch of each dried sage, ground cloves, all spice, and nutmeg to give extra fall flavor! Plus red pepper flakes if you like spicy. I made the squash and sausage two days earlier and doubled the recipe for a big party, everyone was full and happy.
Leia, I love your additions - thank you for sharing! Dried sage, ground cloves, all spice, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes - sounds so good!
Love it delicious
Michele, I am so glad to hear that! 🙂
I love the way this recipe sounds, but I don’t see the ingredients list. I’m going to guess and make it with a cup of heavy cream and a cup of cheese. The other ingredients I can estimate. Please show the ingredients list more obviously. Looking forward to winging it.
Anne, I see where the confusion might come from since I have the recipe directions BOTH in the recipe post AND in the recipe card. If you scroll up to the very top of the recipe, there is a Jump to Recipe button. If you click that, it takes you directly to the recipe card with the ingredients list.
Also, here is the direct link to the recipe card: Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
I love to cook and bake. This recipe was so DELICIOUS. My husband rarely eats leftovers but had this for lunch the next day. We thank you for posting this Recipe which was like a party in our mouth- so flavorful
Joy
Joy, your comment made my day! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe - and thank you for stopping by to share this positive feedback!
Made this for my hubs and 18yo grandson . It was a hit! Will be adding to the monthly rotation. Only thing I would change is more sauce and since I used “hot” sausage ..would change to something less spicy! However the kid loved it the way it was!
Sharon, I am so glad you tried this recipe and liked it! The more sauce - the better! Thank you for your comment!
Amazing!!!! My entire family LOVED this recipe. I doubled the sausage and added more garlic and Parmesan as my 3 and 9 year olds always always want more cheese. 🙂 thx for a new FAV!
Emily, I am so happy you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Yes, the sausage can be easily doubled - it makes this dish even more delicious!
Not trying to be dramatic but this is the best thing I’ve ever made.
Courtney, this is such a great comment! It made me smile and blush at the same time! Thank you! 🙂
Making this now & the house smells so cozy!!! So easy to put together…Thank you…can’t wait to rate the deliciousness 🙂
I am glad you found this recipe easy to make and cozy! Enjoy!
Making this now & the house smells so cozy!!! So easy to put together…Thank you…can’t wait to taste the deliciousness 🙂
Enjoy! I hope you like it!
This was really delicious. I probably went a little heavier on the salt but otherwise followed exactly and it was really yummy. Thanks for sharing!
Kelly, you are very welcome! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the comment and the 5-star review - I appreciate it!
This recipe turned out so good. It has so many flavors and textures going on, and yet it all blends perfectly together. Perfect recipe! The whole fam absolutely loved it!
Cheyenne, I am please you enjoyed this dish! Thank you so much for sharing such a kind and positive comment! 🙂
Looks amazing - would it be possible to use a non-dairy-milk instead of heavy cream?
I just made this tonight and used coconut cream because heavy cream hurts my belly, quality Parmesan does not so still used that. The coconut cream was soooo good ! I did a 1:1 ratio
Can you use frozen, uncooked butternut squash?
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. Make sure it's not overcrowded on a baking sheet to prevent steaming.
Krystin, I am so glad you liked this recipe! And, thank you for sharing that using coconut cream worked well here!
Yes, you can use non-dairy milk options. I would suggest using a substitute that has a higher fat content. Coconut cream or coconut milk works well in this recipe!
I made this tonight and followed the recipe. I used sage sausage and this is definitely going on the fall dinner rotation menu. It's really delicious!
Tina, I am so glad you liked this recipe! Sage sausage sounds delicious!
Can you use store bought frozen squash instead
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. Make sure it's not overcrowded on a baking sheet to prevent steaming.