Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini – perfect holiday recipe for Christmas or Thanksgiving. It will work great as a holiday side dish or main dish. Or, if you love butternut squash, you can make it anytime of year!
You will love the flavorful creamy sauce prepared with freshly made butternut squash puree and spiced up with lemon pepper, nutmeg and paprika! It makes this Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini very special.
This is one of those truly seasonal recipes – perfect in the Fall and in the Winter when the fresh butternut squash abounds! This dish is great on its own, as a meatless entree, it’s also great with grilled chicken.
If you like this butternut squash and spinach tortellini, you might enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Tortellini with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts
Creamy Chicken, Asparagus, and Bacon Tortellini
Creamy Mozzarella, Sausage, Spinach, and Tomato Tortellini
Pesto Chicken, Tortellini, and Veggies
This is a great recipe to make during the holidays (Christmas or Thanksgiving). Easy and healthy holiday side dish or main dish. Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini in a creamy sauce.
- 1 cup butternut squash puree
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 cups tortellini uncooked
- 8 oz spinach , uncooked, fresh
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- Add 1 cup of butternut squash puree, 1 cup of half and half, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the large skillet, on medium heat. While heating, stir all the ingredients to combine. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning - don't add all of it at once, add a little and add more, to your taste. Add the spinach on top of the mixture, cover with the lid, remove from heat. Let the spinach wilt in the pan, covered, off heat.
- While the spinach wilts, bring the medium pan of water to boil, add 2 cups of uncooked tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions (usually 7 - 10 minutes in boiling water). Once the tortellini is cooked, drain the water.
- Add cooked and drained tortellini to the skillet with the butternut squash sauce and spinach and stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add more half and half to thin it. Also, taste and add more salt, nutmeg and lemon pepper, if desired.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley.
WHAT IS HALF AND HALF? Half and half is the US milk product that combines half milk half cream to form a lighter cream.
To make 1 cup of half and half, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup regular cream (heavy, or whipping cream).
Want another delicious butternut squash recipe?
Check out this Thanksgiving Side Dish – Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
How long am I supposed to cook the purée mixture before adding the spinach? I’ve added my spinach and it’s not wilting.
If the spinach is not wilting, heat the skillet with the butternut squash puree on low-medium heat, and stir the spinach in occasionally, until wilted.
Is the purée and cream supposed to get totally smooth?
Yes, the puree and the cream should be really smooth.
I wanted to like this. Mine was very blah. What could I do to make it more tasty?
You can try adding more nutmeg, more paprika, more lemon pepper seasoning. Make sure to season the dish with enough salt. Salt helps bring out other flavors. Use Hungarian paprika. Or, use smoked paprika.
Julia
can you add sliced sun dried tomatoes to this recipe or are they too strong a flavor?
Thank you — will try for Thanksgiving!
Sun-dried tomatoes might be too strong for these flavors.
Would this taste good with chicken in it??
I have some leftover smoked turkey that im thinking of picking and adding to this. Do you think it would compliment it well?
Great recipe! Very easy and my husband loved it.
Thank you! 🙂
Is there a good substitute for lemon pepper seasoning?
You can combine dried lemon zest, salt and black pepper to make your own lemon seasoning.
The best solution is to make your own lemon pepper seasoning: combine dried lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.
Instead of half and half, do you think using unsweetened organic coconut canned milk would work too?
Yes, it will work! I have had several people comment on other similar recipes that coconut milk is a good alternative to half and half.
Great thanks, trying it today.
Enjoy! 🙂