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By: MadelinePosted: 08/15/2021Updated: 03/26/2024
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Make a creamy vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce with just a few simple ingredients. This simple recipe makes for the perfect fall comfort food.
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A healthy fall Butternut Squash pasta
What kitchen tools will I need to make this Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce?
What ingredients will I need to make this creamy vegan pasta sauce?
Why use frozen butternut squash instead of fresh?
Let’s make some Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce!
How long will this plant based butternut squash pasta keep in the fridge?
Check out these other veggie pasta recipes!
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
A healthy fall Butternut Squash pasta
Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall ingredients because it is so versatile. It is great roasted on its own, but I like it best blended into sauces and soups.
I decided to roast the squash with tomatoes, onions and simple seasonings to give the sauce a deeper flavor. Once roasted, the veggies are blended with pasta water to make a creamy smooth sauce.
- Sheet pan
- Parchment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Large pot
- Blender
- Mixing spoon
What ingredients will I need to make this creamy vegan pasta sauce?
You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this healthy butternut squash pasta with just a few simple ingredients.
- Frozen cubed butternut squash
- Fresh chopped tomato
- Yellow onion
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried thyme
- Pasta
- Pasta water reserved from cooked pasta
Why use frozen butternut squash instead of fresh?
The only reason I use the frozen butternut squash is because it makes things way easier and saves time! I hate to peel, deseed, and chop fresh butternut squash.
I find it difficult and time consuming. Plus, frozen butternut squash is normally very affordable. It is most commonly available in the freezer section during the fall so I usually stock up on a few bags that I can use throughout the year.
If you prefer to use fresh butternut squash, that will work just fine! Follow the same steps as you would with the frozen squash.
Let’s make some Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce!
Step 1: Roast veggies in the oven
To begin, preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, place frozen cubed butternut squash, chopped tomatoes and sliced onion on the baking sheet.
Next, drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Then, mix to cover the vegetables evenly with oil and seasonings.
Bake at 450F for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Cook pasta and reserve pasta water
Then, while the veggies bake, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before you drain the cooked pasta reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water and place in a blender.
Step 3: Blend sauce and mix with pasta
Next, take the cooked veggies hot from the oven and blend with the pasta water until a smooth sauce remains.
Finally, pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately with parmesan cheese or plant based parm alternative.
Step 4: Enjoy!
How long will this plant based butternut squash pasta keep in the fridge?
I recommend storing the cooked pasta and sauce separately for meal prep. You can keep the cooked sauce in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you are eating some of the pasta immediately, you can toss some of the pasta in the sauce while its hot and store the rest separately.
Check out these other veggie pasta recipes!
- Mushroom Alfredo Pasta
- Asparagus Lemon Garlic Pasta
- Baked Feta and Broccoli Pasta
- Spicy Pumpkin One Pot Pasta
If you liked this recipe, try this Creamy Shredded Chicken Pasta Sauce next!
Recipe
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 42 reviews
A creamy vegan butternut squash pasta sauce made with simple healthy ingredients.
Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal: 40 minutes
PrintPin itRate recipeSave recipe
Servings: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 16oz bag of frozen diced butternut squash
- 1.5 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 lb pasta
- 1/3 cup pasta water reserved from cooked pasta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place frozen cubed butternut squash, chopped tomatoes and sliced onion on the baking sheet
- Drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt, pepper, and thyme
- Mix to cover the vegetables evenly with oil and seasonings
- Bake at 450F for 20 minutes
- While the veggies bake, cook the pasta according to package instructions
- Before you drain the cooked pasta reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water and place in a blender
- Take the cooked veggies hot from the oven and blend with the pasta water until a smooth sauce remains
- Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to coat
- Serve immediately with parmesan cheese or plant based parm
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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About Madeline
Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!
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Jan says
What kind of tomatoes do you use ? Roma ? or canned ? Please advise, I want to make this soon ! YUM
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Madeline says
I used grape tomatoes but you could also use Roma or any other type of fresh tomatoes. I would recommend fresh over canned for this recipe.
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Lenaya says
Can I use fresh uncooked butternut squash?
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Madeline says
Yes, just peel, deseed, and chop fresh butternut squash and then follow the rest of the instructions.
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Flo says
Delicious. Added a touch of sage and it really added a little something special to it.
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Madeline says
That is a great addition. Thanks, Flo!
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Lorna says
I’ve not made this yet but will add sage too. Butternut squash and sage are a match made in heaven 😀
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Madeline says
YES, love that combo!
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Rachel says
Can I make this without the tomatoes? My son is allergic and was wondering if there’s an alternative for it.
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Madeline says
Hi there! You could eliminate or try red bell pepper.
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Chelsa says
What is the name of this pasta shape? I can’t find it anywhere.
Thank you!
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Madeline says
Radiatore! 🙂
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MeredithM says
Very tasty, very easy and you can make it your own by changing up the seasoning
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Madeline says
Glad you liked it, Meredith!
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Cassie says
Could you make this with fresh butternut squash??
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Madeline says
Yes! If you prefer to use fresh butternut squash, that will work just fine! Follow the same steps as you would with the frozen squash.
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Connie Ginther says
Made this tonight and it was good. I added chicken and used chickpea pasta.
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Madeline says
Yay! Sounds delicious, Connie!
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Lindsey says
Great recipe! I didn’t have a yellow onion, so I used a (eyewatering) red. I eyeballed the spices and added some all spice, rosemary, 2 tbsp ground flax, and 2 tbsp hemp in the blending phase. The flax/hemp gives it a more meaty texture. Used soymilk instead of water. Had to play with the salt and it felt like something was missing initially once I combined everything into the pan to reheat it, so added slightly more and added parmesan, which really brough everything together.
I think my actual ratios were 20 oz bags of butternut squash and one can of diced tomatos.
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Breanna says
Incredible. I have a ton of squash from the garden and I now know how I will be consuming it.
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Madeline says
AWESOME! So glad to hear it, Breanna!
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Haley says
We had this for dinner tonight and it was SO good. Really creamy and flavorful, and we love that it was made from such simple, healthy ingredients!
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Madeline says
Awesome!! Thanks, Haley!
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Annemarie says
If you want to roast a fresh butternut squash, just cut it in half and remove seeds, roast it, and then purée the whole thing with the skin! (I remove blossom and stem ends.) Seriously a game changer!
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Madeline says
Great tip! Thanks, Annemarie!
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Hannah says
LOVE this recipe- so easy, delicious, and perfect for fall!
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Madeline says
YAY! Thanks, Hannah!
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April R says
I love this!! My new “go to” comfort food!! I make this per the directions then add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of shredded cheddar (depending what kind of day it is haha! So delicious and my 3 Yr old can’t get enough! Love that she is getting her veggies! I have shared with all my friends! 👍🏻👍🏻
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Madeline says
YAY! I am so happy your 3 year old loves it, too. Thanks, April!
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Angi Hoess says
I used a little more of the pasta water the second time I made this. It was easy to make, and very good!
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Madeline says
yes! I find it depends on the brand of squash for thickness! so glad you enjoyed.
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Tabatha says
Great flavour, super easy to make!
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Madeline says
Thanks, Tabatha!
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Judy Allred says
Great sauce! Super easy! Tastes amazing! Definitely a keeper!
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Madeline says
Thanks, Judy!!
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Rach says
Omggg. This is SO. Good. I could drink this as a smoothie! Thank you!
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Madeline says
Haha, YAY! So glad to hear it.
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Jenny Lemon says
I had to make this without tomatoes because of a nightshade sensitivity but it was still so delicious! I love the simplicity of it. Yum! I’m excited about the leftovers!
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Madeline says
Yay! Glad it worked for you without the tomatoes. Thanks, Jenny!
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Rob says
This was fantastic. I omitted the tomatoes. Over a pound of good Imported rigatoni.
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Madeline says
Yay! Thanks!
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