This creamy butternut squash sauce is bursting with fall flavor. Tested and perfected over the years, this sauce delivers cozy depth and luscious, creamy texture. Vegan-adaptable.
This butternut pasta sauce recipe originates from our butternut squash lasagna (with over 100 five-star reviews!), and we use it so often at home that we thought it deserved a place of its own.
Why You’ll Love Butternut Pasta Sauce
It is incredibly easy to make; the oven does most of the work, and it’s very adaptable - meaning you can keep it vegan as it is, or enrich it with pecorino cheese or even brown butter, which my husband goes crazy for. It’s made with simple ingredients, dairy-free, freezable, and makes a great gift. Kids love it, too!
- Easy to make! Only 10 minutes of prep time-the oven does most of the work.
- Very adaptable. Keep it vegan or stir in pecorino cheese, brown butter, or roasted garlic.
- Naturally vegan. This dairy-free recipe is unbelievably creamy and rich!
- Freezer-friendly. Perfect for meal prep!
Love butternut squash? Here are 15 Cozy Butternut Squash Recipes!
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- Butternut squash: We roast it for the best flavor. Look for a squash that feels heavy, is smooth and matte, and has beige skin. The neck should be long and thick. Avoid any with soft spots, cuts, or green patches.
- Sweet onion: Gives the sauce a savory, aromatic base. Yellow onion works too.
- Veggie broth: Use our homemade vegetable stock for deep flavor! Or substitute the broth with water.
- Granulated garlic: Granulated garlic keeps the recipe quick and easy, but if you have time, roast a whole garlic head and use some of the caramelized cloves instead.
- Nutmeg: Its warm, nutty flavor complements the sweetness of the butternut squash.
- Miso paste: White or yellow miso paste adds a rich, umami taste.
- Sage leaves: Or sub with a teaspoon of dried sage or Italian seasoning.
Variations
- Cheese: Add a 1/4 cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese for a creamier, cheesier sauce. If you want that cheesy flavor but need to keep it vegan, add nutritional yeast.
- Browned butter: Add 2-3 tablespoons of browned butter for a richer sauce. One of my favorite ways to make it!
- Roasted garlic: Roast a whole garlic head and add some to the sauce for a deep, savory, caramelized flavor. Use the rest of the roasted garlic cloves spread on crostini!
How to Cut Butternut Squash
- If your butternut squash is tough, microwave the squash for 2-3 minutes. This softens the skin and makes slicing safer and faster.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Use a sharp chef’s knife and sturdy cutting board. I will sometimes place a damp towel underneath the board to keep it from slipping. Start your knife at the top of the neck and carefully slice through the squash.
- If your squash is extra large, cut widthwise to separate the neck from the body. Then you can cut each piece in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the seeds. Save the seeds! Use them in our Maple-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay the butternut squash halves cut side down. Cut the onion into 1-inch wedges and nestle them in the pan. Drizzle the onion with olive oil.
2. Roast the squash and onions. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast veggies 25-35 minutes. Cooking time varies based on the size of the butternut squash. Toss the onions halfway through. You may even need to remove the onions before the squash is done.
3. Blend the sauce. When the roasted butternut squash is tender and caramelized, remove it from the oven and carefully measure out 2 heaping cups of the flesh. Add the squash, onions, broth, salt, pepper, nutmeg, sage, and miso paste to a high-speed blender. If you are adding pecorino, browned butter, or roasted garlic, add it here! Blend until achieving a smooth sauce.
4. Warm the sauce. Transfer the creamy pasta sauce to a saucepan or large skillet and gently warm until heated through.
5. Taste and adjust. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, and nutmeg as needed. If you’d like a little kick, add a pinch of cayenne.
6. Serve. Boil your favorite pasta in a large pot to al dente, toss with butternut sauce, and serve! If desired, garnish with herbs like sage or thyme and grated Parmesan cheese.
Chef’s Tips
- Roast until deeply caramelized. If you pull the squash too early, the sauce will lack depth and flavor. Make sure the edges are golden and the surface looks slightly blistered. These are signs that the natural sugars have developed!
- Control the texture. Start with less broth than you think you need and add gradually while blending. This gives you control over whether you want a thick and clingy sauce (for pasta) or a looser and more pourable sauce (for gnocchi, ravioli, or grain bowls).
- Blend until silky smooth. For best results, use a high-speed blender and blend for a full minute to achieve a glossy, velvety sauce.
- Use the right pasta shape. This pasta sauce clings beautifully to short, ridged pasta like zucchette (or zucca), rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette. I love using zucchette in the fall because they look like miniature pumpkins! “Zucchette” actually translates to “small pumpkins” in Italian. If using a long pasta like fettuccine, thin the sauce slightly with reserved pasta water.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the cooled pasta sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let cool, then store the pasta sauce in a freezer-safe bag or mason jar for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of broth. Stir over medium heat until warmed through.
Tips for Freezing
- Leave room for expansion. Leave some space in your container, as the sauce will expand when frozen.
- If using freezer bags, lay them flat on a baking sheet (press out as much air as you can) until frozen. Then, stack them neatly in the freezer.
- If using jars, use 32-ounce mason jars to store 3 cups of sauce, which is ideal for a pound of dry pasta.
- Thaw before reheating. Thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
- Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with a side of warm, crusty bread-or with our Butternut Squash Rolls for extra fall flavor!
- Mix the butternut squash pasta with vegetables, like roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Use in our reader-favorite Butternut Squash Lasagna!
- Serve over homemade gnocchi.
- Swap it with the tomato sauce in our Baked Manicotti.
- Spoon the butternut sauce on a plate and top with a scoop of warm quinoa, farro, or brown rice, then top with roasted root veggies and a protein, like chickpeas, lentils, baked tofu, chicken, or fish, like mushroom dusted halibut.
Butternut Squash Pasta makes the perfect vegan-friendly Thanksgiving main, along with our 55+ Veggie-Forward Thanksgiving Side Dishes!
FAQS
Yes, you could! You can roast the squash and purée it in our marinara sauce for a “squash marinara,” or you can turn it into its own creamy sauce like we do here.
Our butternut squash pasta sauce has a subtle, sweet, caramelized flavor with warm spice and cozy, savory depth. If desired, you can add pecorino, parmesan, roasted garlic, or browned butter to enhance the flavor further.
The sauce can be enjoyed simply tossed with pasta, or it goes with with roasted or sautéed veggies mixed in, such as roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms.
Warm, nutty spices like nutmeg or cinnamon complement the sweetness of the squash. Sage or thyme, roasted garlic, and brown butter are also great pairings for this sweet squash!
More Recipes You Might Like
After you try this Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: sauce, pasta salad, fall recipes,
- Method: roasted and blended
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This creamy butternut squash pasta sauce is bursting with fall flavor. This dairy-free, freezer-friendly sauce delivers cozy depth and luscious, creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 sweet onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 2 cups veggie broth or water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (see note)
- generous pinch nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
- 2–4 sage leaves, chopped (or sub 1 teaspoon dried sage or Italian seasoning)
- optional: 1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Roast. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place them, cut side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cut the onion into 1-inch wedges, drizzle with olive oil, and place next to the butternut. Roast until tender, 25-35 minutes, depending on size, tossing the onions halfway through and removing them earlier if tender.
- Blend. Scoop out 2 heaping cups of roasted butternut squash and add it to the blender along with the onions broth, salt, pepper, nutmeg, sage and miso paste. If you want to add pecorino, blend it as well. Blend until silky smooth.
- Warm. Place it in a saucepan and heat it up. You will want to drink it like soup, and sometimes I do this too. 🙂
- Season. Taste and season, adjusting the salt, pepper, and nutmeg as needed. Add a pinch of cayenne if desired.
- Toss the warm pasta sauce with your favorite pasta.
Notes
Browned Butter: For extra richness, blend in a 2-3 tablespoons of browned butter. My husband LOVES this.
Storage: Butternut pasta sauce will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Garlic: Roasted garlic is really lovely in the recipe, too, but I wanted to keep it easy. You could roast a whole head, use some for this, and save the rest for spreading on crostini.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup ( without cheese)
- Calories: 141
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 862.8 mg
- Fat: 9.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
