Let Me Tell You About This Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce…

Okay, so here’s the thing. I wasn’t actually a squash fan growing up. My mum would roast it until it was basically mush, call it “golden vegetable,” and I’d hide tiny globs under my mashed potatoes (she totally knew—sorry, Mum). But recently, after a chilly Saturday with nothing in the fridge except a sad-looking butternut squash, I thought, why not blitz it into pasta sauce? Best impulsive kitchen move I’ve made all year, hand to heart. Now it’s one of those recipes that’s practically muscle memory. And yes, my partner claims it’s “life-changing,” but, I mean, they’re a bit dramatic anyway.

Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least Tolerate It)

I make this when I crave something creamy but don’t feel like heavy alfredo (though, I won’t lie, sometimes I crave that too). My family goes sort of bananas for it because it’s just, I dunno, sweet and savoury and oddly comforting. The sauce sneaks in extra veg (double win), and it’s pretty forgiving. That one time I used all the wrong brand names and forgot the garlic—it still ended up edible. Oh, and I sometimes forget the sage, but… we move on.

Here’s What You’ll Need (With My Usual Substitutions)

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 kg)—or sweet potato if the shops are out, it honestly works
2 small shallots or 1 yellow onion (I grab whatever’s lurking in the veg drawer)
3 cloves garlic (sometimes I cheat and use that jarred stuff, don’t tell the food snobs)
2 tbsp olive oil (I’ve been known to just wing it here—”about two glugs”)
750 ml veggie stock (stock cubes are perfectly fine; my gran swore by Knorr, but, eh, up to you)
Handful of fresh sage or a teaspoon dried—rosemary’s quite good too in a pinch
Pinch of chili flakes (skip if you’re not feeling spicy)
Salt & pepper, to taste
125 ml cream, whole milk, or plant-based creamier if you’re dairy avoidant (I like Oatly for this, but regular cream is lovely, too)
400 g pasta (fave shapes: rigatoni, penne, or tagliatelle—all work, really)
25 g grated parmesan (optional, or swap for nutritional yeast if going vegan)

How To Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (Just Trust The Process)

Chop it up: Peel and cube your butternut squash. I know this is annoying—if someone invents pre-cubed butternut that isn’t ££, let me know. Slice the shallots/onion and mince the garlic. Or don’t mince, just bash it and chuck it in, honestly.
Sizzle time: Grab a big saucepan, add the olive oil, and get those onions sweating on medium heat for about 3-4 mins. They should look soft, not charred (though honestly, a bit of brown is tasty).
Add garlic and squash: Toss in the squash cubes and garlic. Fry for another couple of mins. Here’s where I usually sneak a taste or poke a cube with a fork and immediately regret because it’s boiling hot.
Pour in the stock and bring some drama: Pour over the stock, throw in sage, chili flakes, a generous pinch of salt and some pep. Bring it to a simmer, and let it bubble away for 20 minutes—lid on! (It probably looks like watery soup at this point. That’s totally right.)
Get your pasta going: While that simmers, boil the pasta in a big pot (with a silly amount of salt, as per Italian grandmas everywhere). Save a mugful of that starchy pasta water—seriously, don’t forget.
Blend baby, blend: Once the squash is gloriously soft (stab it with a fork and if it falls apart, good), turn off the heat. Blitz everything with a stick blender, food processor, or, if you’re me, in small batches because you once exploded soup across the counter. It should look silky—don’t stress if there’s a little texture.
Cream it up & assemble: Pour in your cream (or plant alternative). Stir well, taste, add more salt or chili if you’re feeling rebellious. Mix this sauce with your cooked, drained pasta. If it’s too thick, add some of that magical pasta water. Finish with parmesan or yeasty sprinkles and a tiny drizzle more oil if you’re feeling fancy.

Notes (Or: Things I’ve Discovered the Hard Way)

If your sauce’s too sweet, splash in a little lemon juice. Learned that one the second time I made it and it came out oddly like a pudding.
Peeling squash gets easier if you microwave it for a minute first (who knew?).
You can totally freeze this sauce, but just the sauce, not with pasta—or it goes a bit mushy, in my experience.
Actually, I find it tastes even better the second day, once the flavours have had a good gossip overnight.

Tried-It and Tweaked-It Ideas (Plus an Epic Flop)

I’ve swapped half the squash for carrot. Honestly, it’s barely different; I’d do it again.
Added smoked paprika for a twist—unexpectedly good, but go easy; too much and it’s all you’ll taste.
Tried stirring in ricotta at the end. Eh, didn’t love it. Made things kind of grainy, which wasn’t what I was after.

About the Kit You’ll Need (But Make Do!)

A decent saucepan or Dutch oven is easiest, but I’ve used a battered non-stick frying pan in a pinch. For blending, a stick blender is king—but I’ve literally mashed by hand and called it “rustic.” No shame. Ladles, tongs, colander for pasta—standard stuff.

Storing the Sauce (If You’ve Got Any Left…)

I store extra sauce in an old takeaway tub. Keeps in the fridge for about 3-4 days, possibly longer, but honestly it never lasts that long here, between late night snacks and “I’m just testing it” spoonfuls. You can freeze it for up to 3 months; thaw in a saucepan with a splash of stock or water.

How I Serve It (And a Tiny Family Tradition)

We love it with garlic bread and a silly big salad, but here’s what my folks do: mix the sauced pasta into a baking dish, scatter over some more cheese (cheddar’s good too), and bake until bubbly. That’s our little way to make “leftovers” seem like a new meal. Also: roasted pumpkin seeds on top are yum.

Pro Tips (a.k.a. Learn From My Blunders)

Don’t rush blending. I tried that once and ended up with “lumpy soup pasta,” which is not at all the goal.
If you forget to save pasta water, don’t panic—just use a bit more cream or milk, though honestly it’s not the same and I should know better by now.
Measure the chili flakes in your palm, not straight from the jar. One time: disaster. (Burning lips for hours.)

Random Aside: Butternut Squash Is—Weirdly—In the Same Family as Pumpkins?

I read this Britannica article while waiting for my squash to cook and found it pretty neat. No actual point except… trivia?

FAQs (Because My Friends Have Actually Asked…)

Can I make the sauce ahead? Yep! It reheats beautifully. Actually, I think it’s tastier the second day; more meld-y. Just thin with a bit of water or milk if it thickens up in the fridge.
Is peeling the squash really necessary? Eh, yeah. The skin is tough (like rugby boot tough). But, I mean, if you’re desperate—roast it skin-on and peel later. Bit messy, but it works.
Best pasta shape? Oh, whatever you like. I’m partial to penne. Tagliatelle looks fancy, though the sauce slips off a bit. Your call!
How do I make it vegan? Just swap the cream for a plant option, and nix the cheese or use nutritional yeast. Easy as anything. There’s a good vegan pasta resource here if you want more ideas.
Can I use frozen squash? Sure, why not? It cooks faster, actually. I’ve done it. Just add a minute or two less cooking time.

And, on second thought, if all else fails and your sauce tastes bland, chuck in some extra parmesan. It’s pretty much my cure-all in the kitchen. Happy cooking—and if you figure out a tidier way to cook butternut squash, you have to tell me.

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce