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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Sauces

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Updated: Oct 17, 2021 · Published: Jul 18, 2021 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 57 Comments

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Diet: Gluten Free / Low Fat
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Butternut squash pasta sauce with a text title overlay.

You don't need to use cream to get a creamy pasta sauce - use butternut squash instead. With this Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, you get that creamy comforting flavour, but with added vitamins too and not a cauliflower in sight. Creamy and comforting - what more could you want from a pasta sauce!

A bowl of conchiglie pasta in a sauce with spinach.

As soon as the temperature stars to drop, we make a lot of butternut squash dishes. It's a flavour just perfect for the colder months.

There are many, many healthier creamy pasta sauces out there, but a lot of them use cauliflower (not that I am complaining). So, I thought I would give an alternative for those of you out there that aren't loving cauliflower.

Butternut squash has a naturally creamy texture when blended, so we have put that to good use. If you don't usually like butternut squash, give this a try as it might just change your mind.

Looking for some more simple pasta recipes? Why not try our Tuna Pasta Salad, White Bean Pasta or Greek Pasta Salad.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love It
  • Ingredients and Substitutions
  • Step by Step Ingredients
  • Preparing a Butternut Squash
  • How to Use the Sauce
  • Extra Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Butternut Squash Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why You Will Love It

  • Creamy and delicious - This sauce is so rich and silky and gives indulgent creamy sauces a run for their money. Butternut squash is naturally creamy, and mixed with a little creme fraiche is takes it to the next level.
  • Nutrient dense - Creamy pasta sauces aren't usually the healthiest, but thanks to the butternut squash you get creaminess and lots of vitamins too.
  • Vegan option - We have used creme fraiche and Parmesan (for flavour). However, you could use a vegan alternative to creme fraiche (or use a splash of coconut milk) and either using a vegan alternative to Parmesan, or just leave it out.
  • Hidden vegetables - If you live with fussy eaters, pasta is usually a safe option. This is a great way to hide some vegetables in their meal. You could always blend some cauliflower in too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Butternut squash - This is where all the creaminess from the pasta sauce comes from. Make sure you check out our tips below on how to chop a butternut squash.
  • Oil - We roasted the butternut squash in olive oil. Try to use the best quality that you can to give the best finished result.
  • Garlic - The base of any good pasta sauce. Save yourself some time by using frozen garlic.
  • Stock - Homemade stock is always best, but if you are using store bought stock, then try to use the best quality one you can, as you will taste the difference. If you are making this sauce for small children, then use a reduced salt stock.
  • Seasoning - We added some salt and pepper, and then a little pinch of cinnamon too. It really compliments the butternut squash and adds some depth and warmth to the sauce.
  • Creme fraiche - The majority of the creaminess comes from the butternut squash, but a little creme fraiche makes it extra creamy and freshens it up too.
  • Parmesan - Who doesn't love a cheesy pasta sauce? We added just enough to give it a boost of flavour, but you could leave it out if you preferred.

More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.

Step by Step Ingredients

One: Add the butternut squash, oil, cinnamon and salt and pepper to a roasting tray. Mix so all the cubes are coated and roast for 30 minutes.

A large baking tray covered in cubes of butternut squash and oil.

Two: Add the roasted butternut squash to a blender and blend until smooth.

A blender jug containing cubes of roasted butternut squash.

Three: Put the blended squash into a pan with the remaining ingredients and heat through (about 2 minutes).

A saucepan containing blended butternut squash, cream, garlic and cheese.

Preparing a Butternut Squash

First you want to chop off the top and bottom ends of the squash, so that both ends are flat.

Slice it in half around the middle and using a heavy duty peeler or knife, peel off the skin in downwards strokes. You want to peel until you see orange flesh (no green lines left).

Once you have peeled both halves, slice the flatter half in two to reveal the seeds. Take a spoon and scoop out the seeds (keep them to roast too – great as a snack). Chop the butternut squash into cubes.

Read a full guide on How To Peel And Cut A Butternut Squash which takes you through the process step by step.

A whole butternut squash and a chef's knife on a wooden chopping board

How to Use the Sauce

We like to keep it simple and stir the butternut squash pasta sauce through some cooked pasta with spinach wilted into it. It's great with gnocchi too.

We also use this sauce as a base for hidden vegetable mac and cheese. Just melt some cheese into the sauce and serve with macaroni. You could even bake it with extra cheese on top.

For an added protein boost, serve with some grilled chicken breast, fried king prawns or some chickpeas. Finish is off with a sprinkle of Parmesan, or vegetarian/vegan alternative and it is perfect.

Extra Tips

  • Top the finished dish with pine nuts for some added crunch.
  • Butternut squash has a naturally sweet taste, and you can add to that by swapping the onions for shallots.
  • You can make these pasta sauce even creamier by stirring through some creme fraiche or cream cheese.
  • For extra flavour, roast the butternut squash with finely chopped fresh sage. It compliments the butternut squash perfectly.
  • If you want to keep this vegetarian, make sure to use a vegetarian hard cheese. Most supermarket own brand Italian hard cheese is vegetarian.
Cooked conchiglie pasta in a butternut squash sauce with wilted spinach and Parmesan shavings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to roast the butternut squash first?

Yes, if you want to have a more intense butternut squash flavour, then we recommend roasting it first and then adding it to the blender with the stock and blending until smooth. It is still delicious without roasting it though, you can just boil it for 15 minutes.

How to make it creamier?

If you want to make this even creamier, then you can stir through some cream cheese. It really doesn't need it though, as it is creamy enough without it.

How can I thicken my sauce?

If your sauce is too thin, then you can thicken it by either adding a little cornflour, or just adding more parmesan - which is our preference.

How to store butternut squash pasta sauce

If you have leftovers of this, then you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We like to batch cook it to add to pasta for easy work day lunches. We wouldn't recommend storing the sauce and pasta together in the fridge, as the pasta tends to soak up all the sauce and go a bit soggy.

More Butternut Squash Recipes

  • Stuffed butternut squash on a baking tray with cherry tomatoes.
    Stuffed Butternut Squash
  • Roasted butternut squash pasta in a blue bowl.
    Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
  • A bowl of Butternut Squash Risotto next to a blue towel and a block of cheese
    Butternut Squash Risotto
  • Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup in a bowl topped with croutons, herbs and a dollop of cream.
    Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

If you’ve tried this butternut squash sauce, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Creamy butternut squash pasta sauce mixed into cooked pasta.

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

By: Dannii Martin
With this Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, you get that creamy comforting flavour, but with added vitamins too and it's super tasty!
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
the words low fat in a white circle.
Low Fat
4.98 from 36 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Sauce/Spread
Cuisine: Italian
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 32 minutes mins
Total: 37 minutes mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 341kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2.2 lb) Butternut squash - peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 2 tablespoon Creme fraiche
  • 100 ml (2 cups) Vegetable stock
  • 30 g (0.33 cups) Parmesan - grated

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
  • Add 1 kg Butternut squash, 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 0.5 teaspoon Cinnamon and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper to a roasting tray. Mix so all the cubes are coated and roast for 30 minutes.
  • Add the roasted butternut squash to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Put the blended squash into a pan with 2 Garlic clove, 2 tablespoon Creme fraiche, 100 ml Vegetable stock and 30 g Parmesan and heat through (about 2 minutes).

Recipe Tips

  • Top the finished dish with pine nuts for some added crunch.
  • Butternut squash has a naturally sweet taste, and you can add to that by swapping the onions for shallots.
  • You can make these pasta sauce even creamier by stirring through some creme fraiche or cream cheese.
  • For extra flavour, roast the butternut squash with finely chopped fresh sage. It compliments the butternut squash perfectly.
  • If you want to keep this vegetarian, make sure to use a vegetarian hard cheese. Most supermarket own brand Italian hard cheese is vegetarian.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion of sauce | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 1805mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 53451IU | Vitamin C: 106mg | Calcium: 442mg | Iron: 4mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Danielle Wolter says

    July 20, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    5 stars
    I just love this recipe! It's super easy to make and is so good on pasta! Perfect time of year for it too :-)

    Reply
  2. Gina says

    July 20, 2021 at 11:52 am

    This is one of my favorite ways to make a creamy pasta sauce without all the guilt. One of the best parts about fall and winter squash season!

    Reply
  3. Helen says

    July 20, 2021 at 11:45 am

    5 stars
    I love butternut squash and this looks gorgeous! What a great family dinner :-)

    Reply
  4. Anjali says

    July 20, 2021 at 9:41 am

    5 stars
    I love that this is a healthier version of a creamy sauce! It's also a great way to sneak in some veggies if you have picky kids! My kids loved this recipe and gobbled it up with their favorite pasta!

    Reply
  5. Maria says

    July 20, 2021 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    This would surely taste lovely! The cream with butternut really gives squash a different flavor, even kids would love this!

    Reply
  6. Caroline says

    August 21, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    Made this tonight as I was looking for a tomato free sauce for pasta...DELICIOUS!

    Only tweak I made was using fresh sage instead of basil (I didn't have the latter), worked really well as BNS & sage are a great pairing.

    Reply
  7. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says

    May 25, 2016 at 3:13 am

    5 stars
    I absolutely love using veggies in sauces or to 'replace' something. Using butternut squash in place of cream sounds amazing, a must try for sure.

    Reply
  8. Anna @AnnaTheApple says

    May 24, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    LOVE this! Huge butternut squash fan and I love the idea of it being used a sauce. I used to use pumpkin a lot and mix it with cream cheese as a sauce but this sounds a bit easier as pumpkin is always tricky to find.

    Reply
  9. Nayna Kanabar says

    May 23, 2016 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    Such a lovely idea very innovative use of the squash nad its low fat too compatring to cheesy sauces.

    Reply
  10. Laura H says

    May 23, 2016 at 3:16 pm

    Love the look of this dish! The orange colour is so distinctive and I'm sure it tastes even better than it looks :)

    Reply
  11. Alison says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    5 stars
    I never knew you could make sauce with butternut squash. Will have to try this. It looks lovely

    Reply
  12. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

    May 23, 2016 at 10:02 am

    5 stars
    This looks like just my sort of dish! I love creamy sauces, and love Giovanni Rana pastas. This looks heavenly!

    Reply
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