Description
Butternut squash, garlic, and onion are roasted and blended with vegetable broth. Brown butter, white wine, and fresh herbs give this sauce an amazing depth of flavor. Finish with salty, nutty grated Pecorino Romano cheese and toss with your choice of pasta. Take this dish to the next level by topping it with crispy sauteed mushrooms, bacon, or Italian sausage (optional but recommended)!
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, cooked al dente (I use whole grain or Veggiecraft pasta)
- 1 butternut squash (one 2 1/2 pound squash yields about 4–5 cups)
- 1 red or yellow onion – whatever you have on hand, peeled, halved, then cut into thirds
- 6–8 garlic cloves (depending on size), peeled
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced and divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Optional toppings: - Crispy seared mushrooms (sliced or diced)
- Crispy chopped bacon
- Browned Italian sausage
Instructions
- PREPARE AND ROAST THE VEGETABLES. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). For the butternut squash: Peel, halve lengthwise, scoop out the pulp and seeds, then dice into 2-inch cubes. Halve, peel, quarter, then separate the onion. Peel the garlic. Toss the vegetables with avocado oil, half a teaspoon each of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Roast the vegetables on a sheet baking pan (you can line it with parchment if you’d like) in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- BOIL PASTA WATER AND BLEND THE VEGETABLES. When the vegetables are almost finished roasting, bring a generously salted pot of water to a boil. Once the vegetables are done roasting, transfer them to a food processor or blender, and blend them with the broth until combined.
- BROWN BUTTER + WHITE WINE. Mince the thyme and sage. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium/low heat, then stir in one tablespoon each of thyme and sage. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle. Keep stirring until the butter begins to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and splash in the white wine. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced to about half.
- COOK THE PASTA, FINISH THE SAUCE, THEN COMBINE WITH PASTA, GARNISH, AND SERVE. Cook your pasta until al dente. Any pasta shape that you have in your pantry will work! Once the pasta is done, before straining it, reserve a half cup of pasta water; it will be used to thin the sauce. Dump the roasted vegetable purée into the pan with the browned butter, along with the other half teaspoon of salt and freshly cracked pepper, and a tablespoon of fresh thyme. Heat the sauce for a few minutes, and in the meantime, shred your Pecorino Romano cheese. Add the cheese and piping hot pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. Gently toss the pasta with the roasted garlic butternut squash sauce. Plate the pasta then top with shredded Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
I linked all my favorite blending tools above! Or use what you already have. 😊
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Recipes, Roasted Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Garlic Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Healthy Recipes for Dinner, Healthy Recipes Vegetarian, Easy Healthy Recipes, Fall Dinner Recipes, Fall Vegetarian Recipe
