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    Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini

    By Julia | Updated: Oct 22, 2021 | Published: Nov 02, 2016 | 86 Comments

    491.9K shares
    • Facebook1.4K
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    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!

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    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.

    creamy tortellini, easy tortellini, best tortellini recipes

    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.

    how to cook tortellini, cheese tortellini, pasta dinner recipe, Thanksgiving recipes, Thanksgiving dinner menu

    If you like this butternut squash and spinach tortellini, you might enjoy these recipes:

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    Creamy Chicken, Asparagus, and Bacon Tortellini

    Creamy Mozzarella, Sausage, Spinach, and Tomato Tortellini

    Pesto Chicken, Tortellini, and Veggies

    4.79 from 93 votes

    Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini

    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. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 274 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butternut squash puree
    • 1 cup half and half
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
    • 2 cups tortellini uncooked
    • 8 oz spinach , uncooked, fresh
    • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    • Add 1 cup of butternut squash puree, 1 cup of half and half, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the large skillet, on medium heat. While heating, stir all the ingredients to combine. Add about ¼ 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.

    Notes

    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 ½ cup milk and ½ cup regular cream (heavy, or whipping cream).

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    274
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    11
    g
    17
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    31
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    42
    mg
    14
    %
    Sodium
     
    447
    mg
    19
    %
    Potassium
     
    529
    mg
    15
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    32
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    11
    g
    22
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    9480
    IU
    190
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    26.5
    mg
    32
    %
    Calcium
     
    214
    mg
    21
    %
    Iron
     
    3.3
    mg
    18
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    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.

    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!

    Want another delicious butternut squash recipe?

    Check out this  Thanksgiving Side Dish - Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries

    « Winter Fruit Salad with Maple-Lime Dressing
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    491.9K shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jim Price

      October 18, 2023 at 6:17 pm

      I can't use your site - the print function only prints one blank page. The email link section goes to GMAIL, which is NOT my default browser. EVERY other site on Pinterest works except yours. Happy computing!~

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 20, 2023 at 7:06 pm

        Jim, I will check into that!

        Reply
    2. Denise

      November 29, 2020 at 11:29 pm

      Made it this Thanksgiving! An absolute hit with the family!

      Reply
      • Rebecca S

        October 22, 2022 at 8:04 pm

        Heavy cream and half and half are not my belly's friends, can I use fat-free half and half or evaporated milk to get the creaminess in this recipe?

        Reply
        • Julia

          October 28, 2022 at 6:33 pm

          Rebecca, I am not sure about fat-free stuff, but evaporated milk would work great here!

          Reply
    3. Andrea

      October 05, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      I changed the spices and somehow made a soup from this. Was excellent. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Daniela Thomson

      November 12, 2019 at 7:58 pm

      The nutmeg was overwhelming...

      Reply
    5. Chrissy

      November 05, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      How long am I supposed to cook the purée mixture before adding the spinach? I’ve added my spinach and it’s not wilting.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 12, 2019 at 9:08 pm

        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.

        Reply
    6. Mary

      April 21, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      Is the purée and cream supposed to get totally smooth?

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 03, 2019 at 3:31 pm

        Yes, the puree and the cream should be really smooth.

        Reply
    7. Carol Irving

      November 15, 2018 at 9:02 am

      I wanted to like this. Mine was very blah. What could I do to make it more tasty?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 04, 2018 at 2:31 am

        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.

        Reply
    8. Susan

      November 09, 2018 at 11:23 am

      Julia
      can you add sliced sun dried tomatoes to this recipe or are they too strong a flavor?

      Thank you -- will try for Thanksgiving!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 04, 2018 at 2:59 am

        Sun-dried tomatoes might be too strong for these flavors.

        Reply
    9. Brekka

      October 25, 2018 at 6:10 pm

      Would this taste good with chicken in it??

      Reply
      • Amber

        November 21, 2019 at 4:13 pm

        I have some leftover smoked turkey that im thinking of picking and adding to this. Do you think it would compliment it well?

        Reply
    10. Austin Layton

      October 09, 2018 at 9:37 pm

      Great recipe! Very easy and my husband loved it.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 24, 2018 at 12:29 am

        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Stacey

      October 07, 2018 at 10:43 pm

      Is there a good substitute for lemon pepper seasoning?

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 08, 2018 at 10:12 am

        You can combine dried lemon zest, salt and black pepper to make your own lemon seasoning.

        Reply
      • Julia

        October 08, 2018 at 10:13 am

        The best solution is to make your own lemon pepper seasoning: combine dried lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.

        Reply
    12. Angi

      August 21, 2018 at 6:49 pm

      Instead of half and half, do you think using unsweetened organic coconut canned milk would work too?

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 22, 2018 at 8:12 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Angi

          August 26, 2018 at 9:44 am

          Great thanks, trying it today.

          Reply
          • Julia

            August 26, 2018 at 10:54 am

            Enjoy! 🙂

            Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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