When squash season hits and the evenings turn chilly, this is the kind of dinner I want on the table. Butternut squash and a whole head of garlic roast until sweet and caramelized, then get blended into a silky, creamy sauce and tossed with pasta. A handful of sage leaves fried in brown butter on top makes it feel extra special, but it’s simple enough for a weeknight. It tastes like fall in a bowl!
13 steps to a cozy fall pasta
Heat the oven
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss the squash
On a large sheet pan, toss squash and onion with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Wrap the garlic
Slice the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, wrap in foil and set it on the pan
Roast until soft
Roast 35-40 mins, tossing halfway, until squash is soft and golden around the edges
Boil the water
While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Cook the pasta
Cook pasta until al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water, then drain
Crisp the sage
In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook 2-3 mins until the butter is golden brown and the leaves are crisp. Move sage to a paper towel and save the brown butter
Squeeze the garlic
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a blender
Blend the sauce
Add roasted squash, onion, broth, cream, nutmeg and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth
Warm the sauce
Pour sauce into the empty pasta pot over low heat. Stir in parmesan and the brown butter
Toss the pasta
Add pasta and toss, adding splashes of pasta water until the sauce is silky and coats every piece
Taste for salt
Taste and add more salt if needed
Finish with sage
Serve topped with crispy sage and extra parmesan
Cook's tips
- Short, ridged pasta like rigatoni or shells holds onto the most sauce
- The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. It thickens in the fridge, so loosen it with a little broth or pasta water when you warm it up
- Watch the butter closely, it goes from brown to burnt quickly!
- Don't skip saving the pasta water, the starch is what makes the sauce cling to the noodles
Hi, I'm Mae.
I'm a self-taught home cook who loves from-scratch cooking and baking. Living in a rural area, I learned to cook by necessity, using what we had in new and creative ways. My favorite thing in the world is sharing food with the people I love.
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