This is a special recipe that goes out to all the squash haters out there. That’s because we have the recipe that will change your tune: creamy butternut squash pasta sauce.
This creamy and decadent butternut squash sauce is a complete show stopper. It has an amazing sweet and salty flavor and the creaminess of a thick cream sauce without a ton of the butter and fat that makes it so incredibly bad for our waistlines. We call that a win-win all around.
You start with plain old butternut squash and cook it down in a flavorful vegetable broth with a few extra herbs and spices, then puree it into a smooth and creamy sauce. Once it’s smooth, it’s finished off with a bit of parmesan cheese melted right in. It comes out velvety, sweet from the squash, and a little salty from the broth and cheese -- making it an ideal sauce for all kinds of applications. Serve it all on its own, over plain pasta with a garnish of sage and a bit of fresh cracked pepper and it is to die for!
Once complete, the sauce can hang out in the fridge, in a sealed container, for a week or so, ready to add a bit of creaminess to your week-night meals. With this sauce as a base you can add any number of ingredients to make an innumerable amount of completely different dishes. We tested it out with spicy Italian sausage and spinach, then with shrimp and black beans, and later still with kale and sundried tomatoes. You could even use it as a lasagna sauce instead of tomato sauce. Seriously, it goes with anything!
Try out this recipe and we promise you will convert some of those squash haters in your family with ease. Before you know it, they will be begging for this sauce again and again.
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, & chopped into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup vegetable broth (plus more if needed)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened, about 1 minute.
Add the squash and salt and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the squash begins to caramelize slightly.
Stir in the sage, bay leaf, and broth. Cover and cook until the squash is tender, about 8 to 9 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender (a regular blender can be substituted, but work in batches).
Return to heat and stir in the parmesan. Adjust consistency: if the sauce is too runny cook it until more liquid evaporates, if it is too dry add more broth by the tablespoon.
Remove from heat and serve over pasta.
