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.
Made this tonight and wow, may be my new fav meal!!
Lisa, I am super flattered to hear that! 🙂
Wonderful flavors and easy for a week night dinner. Plus husband really liked it. I added a shallot, mushrooms, and a splash of red wine to the cream sauce. Will be making this again!
Rebecca, I am so very happy you loved this recipe! Love the addition of shallot, mushrooms, and red wine - so yummy! 🙂
This was really good! I used regular mild sausage, and the mix of salty sausage with a bit of sweet from the squash was great.
Leslie, thank you for trying this recipe and taking the time to share this positive feedback! 🙂 Good to know that wild sausage tasted great!
Made this last night and it was amazing! It was perfectly balanced between the sweetness of the butternut squash, the saltiness of the sausage and parmesan, and the creamy spinach. It will definitely be a regular around here!
Maria, I am so happy you tried this recipe and loved it! You described the flavor profile of this dish really well - love it! 🙂
I just made this for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. The roasted squash added such a nice sweetness to the dish. Hubby loved it, so I’ll be making it again. I shared the recipe with my sister-in-law. She also made it tonight. A big hit at her house, too.
Diane, I am so glad your family loved this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment and the 5-star review! 🙂
So delicious and eat to make! Thank you for sharing.
You are very welcome! Glad you tried it and loved it! 🙂
Made this tonight, super easy and delicious. My husband said this is definitely a keeper. Will make it again and share this with friends!!!
Shelly, so glad you and your husband loved this dish! Thank you for the comment and the 5-stars! 🙂 And, Happy Holidays! 🙂
I just finished making this dish for my husband’s dinners next week. I tried a bite and it was delicious. I did substitute frozen chopped spinach in a steamer bag and I briefly microwaved first. I used half and half and doubled the amount along with double the cheese to make more servings. I also used hot turkey sausage to give more
flavor. It came out great. I love roasted butternut squash so this was the perfect topping for this dish. Yummy!!!
Mary Kay, thank you for such a wonderful and positive comment! Glad you loved this dish and glad you stopped by to share this wonderful review - I really appreciate it! 🙂
It's been a long time since I've legitimately enjoyed a recipe this much. So simple, quick, and with ingredients I keep on hand. I've struggled to find healthy and simple weeknight meals, but this will be a regular in my weeknight rotation for sure!
Danni, your comment truly made my day! Thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful feedback - it means a lot to me! 🙂
Sooooo yummy! I was able to make it gluten free & dairy free with alternatives and the whole family loved it!
Jo, thank you for trying the recipe and so good to hear that you were able to adjust it to make it gluten-free and dairy-free!
This recipe sounds delicious! What are the dairy and gluten free swaps? Thank you!
Judith, I just went through the comments on this recipe, and here is what people successfully used to make it dairy free:
➡️ 1) Use coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk instead of heavy cream. Unsweetened coconut cream seems to be the most popular choice as it's thick enough for the creamy sauce.
➡️ 2) Use dairy-free “mozzarella” shreds instead of Parmesan.
➡️ 3) To make it meatless, use veggie-based sausage. People commented Hot Italian Beyond Meat Sausage worked great!
➡️ 4) Use gluten-free bow-tie pasta. I personally used Tinkyada gluten-free bow-tie pasta in my other recipes - it holds up really great in recipes. After you boil and drain cooked pasta - rinse it with cold water immediately before adding it to the sauce - which helps the pasta to keep its shape.
The result is yummy, but the preparing is way too complicated. Here is my simplified recipe: Cook the pasta. For the sauce, just use one big casserole. Render the sausage, add a bit olive oil, add butternut cubes (use already baked leftovers) and garlic and roast until it gets golden. Then add spinach, let it sit. Add cream. Season. Add the farfalle. Mix. Strew shaved parmesan over it and serve.
Ines, good tips for making this more efficient! And, yes, if you already have roasted butternut squash in advance - it makes this recipe so much faster!
Really delicious. Added mushrooms, onions, fennel seeds and subbed rapini for the spinach. I will definitely make it again.
Shelley, I love your substitutions! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
We just had this for dinner tonight. Very easy to make. Even my very picky 11 year old liked it. Kids said "mom put this on the make again list please" so it is. Thank-you!
Heidi, I am so flattered by your comment - so glad your kids loved it! 🙂
What kind of sausage do you use?
Kacy, I used spicy Italian sausage crumbled. Or, you can buy spicy Italian sausage in links and remove it from casings and crumble it as you cook it.
How much is a serving size and can evaporated milk be used in place of the heavy cream?
Kelly, the recipe makes a total of 4 servings. You can use evaporated milk - use the same amount and you might have to thin it out a little bit if needed by adding a small amount of milk or even water.
Absolutely delicious!!
Thank you!! 🙂
Hello, I hope to make this for a dinner party and was wondering if it can be made ahead, or parts of it?
Thank you
Marilyn, you can roast the butternut squash in advance and cook the sausage with spinach in advance. Refrigerate it until ready to use (I would say up to 2 days in advance). When ready to assemble, cook the pasta, and make the cream sauce with the ingredients you made ahead.