Cozy up with this comforting, nourishing Butternut Squash Pasta with goat cheese with pecan topping! A super flavorful vegetarian dinner for fall and winter nights.
Lads and lassies! Say hello to your new favorite fall meal...butternut squash pasta. Ahhh, let’s let that sink in.
Like my Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta and Creamy Cajun Pasta, it doesn't get much cozier than this. Creamy and tangy and simply bursting at the seams with melty squash and crunchy pecans. Yum!
Which pasta to use
Today I’m shining the spotlight on my favorite fall produce paired with Barilla Gluten Free Penne.
It's made with corn and rice and cooks to al dente perfection in 10 minutes. I can always count on Barilla's quality being top notch. When I served this to the hubs, he was floored that it was gluten free!
I love me some bean pasta too as an alternative, but there's something extra impressive about a gluten free pasta that is indistinguishable from its wheat flour counterpart.
A lot of my pals either can't tolerate gluten or choose not to consume it, so having yummy alternative options is much appreciated.
How to make butternut squash pasta
We're pairing pasta with the most lovely hunks of butternut squash roasted to caramel perfection. Then we'll layer in buttery sautéed shallots, garlic and sage with tangy goat cheese to form a luscious sauce.
Top it off with an irresistibly crispy pecan and breadcrumb situation. Mega texture and flavor but also simplicity so the pasta can really shine!
- First, we roast our squash on the lowest rack for 30 minutes so it gets plenty brown. Flavor town.
- Meanwhile we cook our pasta until perfectly al dente, or about 10 minutes. We're reserving 2 cups of that nice starchy pasta water to form our simple sauce.
- Next we brown our breadcrumbs and pecans, which will make the most amazing topping.
- Now we start our sauce by sautéing our lovely shallot, garlic, and sage in some butter. The smell! Add in goat cheese and pasta water to form a creamy sauce.
- Mix in the roasted squash, then add the pasta. The cherry on top is the breadcrumbs for crispy crunch!
Key ingredients and tips
- Pasta: I love Barilla Gluten Free Penne cooked perfectly al dente. Rotini or fettuccine would also be nice.
- Butternut squash: One of the stars of our pasta show! Sweet, caramelized squash for epic fall flavor. Delicata squash would be lovely here, too.
- Shallot + garlic: I appreciate the delicate flavor of shallot, but onion can also be used.
- Goat cheese: To me, fall and goat cheese are just meant to be. Give me all the tang! Goat cheese forms the base of the sauce and gives this dish loads of creaminess and flavor. Use a log of goat cheese versus pre-crumbled for the best consistency.
- Pecans + bread crumbs: You're going to flip for this superbly flavorful combo. Nutty, crunchy, and oh so satisfying both mixed in and on top.
- Butter: Oodles of yummy flavor and mouthfeel. You could also use vegan butter if you fancy. Salted or unsalted works.
- Sage: It wouldn't be a fall pasta dish without fresh herbs, right? If you don’t have sage, it’ll still taste fab without!
More cozy pasta recipes
- Vegan Lasagna
- Thai Pasta Salad
- Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Alfredo Pasta
- Healthy Southwestern Pasta Salad
A weeknight wonder awaits!
Print
Nourishing Butternut Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Cozy up with this comforting Butternut Squash Pasta with goat cheese and pecan topping. A super flavorful vegetarian dinner for fall and winter nights!
Ingredients
- 12 oz box penne pasta (reserve 2 cups pasta water)
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced small (20 oz)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free if needed)
- ½ cup pecans, finely chopped
- ¾ cup shallot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (optional)
- 2 oz goat cheese (use log style versus pre-crumbled)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and move the rack to the lowest position. Line your largest baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place squash on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil plus a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on the lowest rack for 30 minutes, tossing halfway.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Warm 1 tbsp butter over medium heat in a large pot (I used my 5.5 qt dutch oven). Add breadcrumbs, and pecans and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.
- In the same pot, melt remaining 3 tbsp butter. Add shallot and a pinch of salt and cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and sage and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add goat cheese, squash, and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, stirring to form a creamy sauce. If mixture looks too thick, add another ½ cup water.
- Remove from heat and stir in pasta, tossing to combine. Fold in ½ cup of the breadcrumb mixture. The pasta will absorb liquid as it sits, so serve immediately or add more pasta water as needed to loosen. Top with remaining breadcrumbs before serving!
Notes
Inspired by this recipe.
This post is sponsored by Barilla. Photos by The Nutritious Kitchen.
Melissa says
This butternut squash goat cheese pasta is insane! It tastes like a rich decadent comfort food straight out of a fancy 5 star restaurant. Going to be making this all winter long! It especially makes me happy because I've been obsessed with Trader Joe's pumpkin pasta sauce and they broke my heart by discontinuing it this year, I used to literally (be that person) and buy 10 jars at a time. It's so hearty and less acidic than traditional tomato sauces, so it seems to digest better for me. This pasta tastes so similar to my favorite pumpkin flavor. Will be making again + again. Thank you Alexis!
Alexis Joseph says
Awww you made my day! I'm so glad this was a winner. And boo when TJ's takes away products we love! Thanks so much for the review, Melilssa.
Lisa says
Delicious! My whole family enjoyed it and my 1 1/2 year old sat quietly scarfing it down. Definitely will be making this again!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Hahaha I love it. I need to make it for my son next!
Lindsay Remley says
This is family friendly, easy and so yummy. We substituted the penne for the banza penne and it was great. Definitely adding this into our regular rotation!
★★★★★
Sarah says
This was SO delicious and flavorful and truly an easy weeknight meal! It was a big hit for the whole family, including our 4 year old! Will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy I'm thrilled to hear it!! Thanks a ton!
Robin says
This is sooooo good! I made with Barilla Chickpea casarecce noodles, which are made with one ingredient, Chickpea flour, so super clean!! I added more goat cheese as I am a goat cheese freak 🙂
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad, Robin! Thank you so much!
Robin says
This is sooooo good! I made with Barilla Chickpea casarecce noodles, which are made with one ingredient, Chickpea flour, so super clean!! I added more goat cheese as I am a goat cheese freak 🙂
★★★★★
Kori says
Looks and sounds like the perfection of fall!
Dylan says
Mmm we made this last week and it was the perfect Fall meal! Love those cozy flavors!
★★★★★
Rachel says
This is so yummy and delicious! My entire family enjoyed it. I will definitely continue to make 😀
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
You made my day, thanks a ton Rachel!