This vegetarian Roasted Butternut Squash with Pasta and Brown Butter is made for fall! It is filled with roasted butternut squash, pasta and brown butter, and is a great cold night dinner idea!
Pasta and butternut squash are made for each other! Try this Butternut Squash Pasta or this Skillet Butternut Squash Lasagna.
I love butternut squash. Out of all the squashes, it’s probably my favorite. I go crazy with it all fall and winter long.
And this recipe is right up there at the top.
All of the flavors go so well together and form the perfect fall pasta dish. And there is so much squash – it feels like a really healthy dish because I really think there was more squash than pasta in this dish!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butternut Squash: Most of the prep time for this recipe comes from peeling and cubing the butternut squash. I know it’s a pain, but it is worth it! Many grocery stores will sell it already cubed (for a premium) but just make sure to look it over first because it is often dried out.
- Onion: I like to use a white onion, but yellow onion will work, as well.
- Oil: Olive oil is my favorite as I like the flavor it adds. But you could also use another more neutral flavored oil, like vegetable, canola, or avocado.
- Rosemary: If you can get some fresh rosemary, it will make this dish that much better. If not, you can sub in a teaspoon of dried rosemary.
- Salt and Pepper: These are both super important for flavor! I like a lot of salt, but add to taste.
- Pasta: Any short cut pasta will work, but penne is my personal favorite.
- Butter: The brown butter flavor is important in the overall flavor of this dish, so don’t sub out the butter!
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice will add in some acidity to help balance all of the flavors.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan is best.
- Nuts: You can use pine nuts, walnuts, or any other nuts you’d like. Or even no nuts at all!
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash with Pasta and Brown Butter
- Start by roasting the squash. Peel and cube the butternut squash, then combine it with the onion, oil, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, then roast until the squash is tender and caramelized.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve.
- Brown the butter by cooking it slowly in a pan. It will take some time, about 5-9 minutes. Stir the lemon juice into the brown butter.
- Combine the cooked squash with the brown butter, pasta, and some of the cheese.
- Serve topped with additional cheese and the toasted nuts.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Bread
Butternut Squash Soup
Sausage and Butternut Squash Slab Pie
Butternut Squash Risotto
Butternut Squash Chili with Beef
Roasted Butternut Squash with Pasta and Brown Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2” cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper
- 8 oz short cut pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts walnuts,or a combination of both
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, combine the cubed squash, onion, olive oil and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Pour out onto a baking sheet in one layer and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until roasted and tender, stirring once halfway through.
- When the squash is almost done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- While the pasta is cooking, place the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it it turns golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. (The butter may foam up and pop so stand back when adding the lemon juice.)
- Stir the butter and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan into with the pasta. Add the butternut squash and stir to combine.
- Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan and the nuts.
Connie Broyhill says
Loved this. I used butternut squash pasta. Yum!
eatme_delicious says
Yum love the sound of this dish! I know what you mean about it taking forever to dice up a butternut squash. I used to roast big trays of veggies to eat for the week and that took FOREVER to cut up.
Holly says
Oh my word this sounds and looks yum-o!!
Vivienne says
yummmo – love lots of pinenuts with squash!
btw, you do have a LOT of cookbooks! glad to see you're progressing well with cooking from diff cookbooks. i really should be doing that as well before i buy more that just sit there to gather dust 😉
Monet says
Butternut squash is just such a beautiful vegetable…that bright orange hue wins me over each time. Thank you for sharing a lovely, fall-inspired dish. And thank you for all your kind words on my blog…your thoughts are so appreciated.
scrambledhenfruit says
Looks delicious! Our Wegman's sells peeled, diced butternut- it's totally worth a little extra!
Susi says
Beautiful looking fall dish that would be wonderful on any dinner table! Love the pine nuts in this :o)
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
A nice pasta dish! I make a similar dish with pumpkin.
Cheers,
Rosa
Liz says
I really may love the person who thought to combine squash and rosemary!
brannyboilsover.com says
This looks great. I love squash with pasta. I wish Pine Nuts weren't so expensive!
Joanne says
This is DEFINITELy a healthy recipe! The brown butter is for sure canceled out by the squash. Which is a superfood. Fo sho.
Squash are a pain to cut but if you get a REALLY good knife, it shouldn't be SO bad! Or try microwaving it for a few minutes first!
Sinful Southern Sweets says
Wow, looks amazing!! Nice fall flavors