Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne and Garlic Cream Sauce! – A delicious and easy to make side dish or main meal for Fall and Holidays!
Rachel and I couldn’t keep our forks (or fingers) out of this dish! The cream sauce is infused with the sage and roasted butternut adds a savory sweet side note. Totally delicious and oh so pretty! Pretty helps…we like pretty :).
This comes together in a flash and is perfect for entertaining or potlucks. It is different enough to be interesting, but familiar enough that your guests will love it. AND you won’t believe how easy it is! (I know, I know, I always say ‘you won’t believe how easy this is’…but guess what? You won’t believe how easy this is!)
How to Make Butternut Penne with Garlic Cream Sauce –
Start your water boiling for the pasta and preheat your oven to 400 degrees for the squash. Just getting a jump on these two things alone will save you at least 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Look for already peeled and cubed butternut in the produce section. We love all the new prepped veggies grocers are carrying these days, a really time and effort saver. Or go big and cube your own! Here is a great tutorial by Simply Recipes , if you have not attempted this before. How to Cut a Butternut Squash.
Toss your squash with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and let it roast up for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, get that pasta in the pot!
While your water heats up and the butternut is roasting, time for the cream sauce!
With just a few ingredients this cream sauce tastes like something out of a restaurant!
Garlic, sage and nutmeg make for a deep rich flavored cream sauce.
Pro Tip: Your sauce has thickened up enough when it coats the back of a spoon. Takes about 5 minutes of simmering for sauce perfection!
Drain your pasta and put it back in the pot it cooked in.
Add the cream sauce, 3/4 of the roasted squash (save the other 1/4 to sprinkle on top).
Almost done!
Pour it all into a deep 8 x 8 casserole or a 9 x 13 and sprinkle with remaining squash cubes.
Can I make this Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne and Garlic Cream Sauce ahead of time?
- yes! Mix half of the cream sauce with the pasta, cover and store along with remaining sauce for up to 12 hours. When time to serve, microwave remaining sauce for a minute to loosen up and pour over the casserole. Toss, bake and serve! (this method keeps the pasta from soaking up all that yummy sauce as it sits in the fridge).
Serve along side your favorite protein or keep it vegetarian!
What else can I toss in this tasty casserole?
- mushrooms
- sausage
- chicken
- shrimp
- any veggie such as broccoli, zucchini or asparagus
- sub the butternut for any other kind of squash…even pumpkin!
A few other Fall and Holiday dishes you might like!
Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin don’t be fooled by the fancy exterior, easy to make. With Video tutorial!
Blueberry Cream Cheese Casserole – made the night before and comes with an easy to make blueberry sauce!
To Fall…my most favorite food time of the year!
Clink!
Kathi
Check out this video to make your pasta foolproof !
Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne and Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound cubed butternut squash about 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces Penne Pasta or other similar sized pasta such as farfalle, shells or rotini
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoon fresh sage chopped plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring stock pot of water to boil for pasta
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Toss squash, olive oil, salt and pepper
- Roast for 20-25 minutes or until soft and slightly brown on the edges. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook pasta according to package direction.
- While pasta is cooking and butternut squash is roasting begin your sauce.
- In large skillet, melt butter and saute garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cream, sage, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
- Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese to cream sauce and stir until melted.
- Drain pasta and return to pot it was cooked in
- Add cream sauce to pot with pasta along with 3/4 of the roasted squash.
- Pour into a deep 8 x 8 or 9 x 13 casserole dish
- Sprinkle top with reserved squash and remaining parmasan.
- Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Martha Smith says
Delicious! Try adding a handful of dried cranberries… You will be amazed!
JUDI says
This dish was amazing. I was surprised how quick and easy it went together. The whole family loved it. It definitely is a keeper.
Kathi & Rachel says
I love this dish too! The sage infused in the cream take it to a whole new level. Thanks for the nice note and 5 stars!
Beth says
This was the 2nd recipe from your blog that I’ve made and it was soooo good. i had to literally walk away and have my husband put away the leftovers because i wanted to eat all of it! Comfort food perfection! Easy too. i sent the link to your blog to a few people so they could also make it. Thank you.
Kathi & Rachel says
We couldn’t stop eating it when Rachel and I were taking the pics! That tarragon makes the sauce so amazing! Thank you for taking the time to post such a nice comment!
Christie says
Loved this. My first time cooking with and eating butternut squash. Wow. Love it. I can not believe I have gone this many years without it incorporated into my dining life. You changed all that. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Nina M says
This was amazing! very easy to make and absolutely delicious. definitely a keeper – thank you!
Julie says
Oh my yum!!! This recipe is definitely a keeper, and I can think of many ways to vary it while keeping the cream sauce. Thanks for a delicious and easy weeknight meal!!!! I really loved it!
Kathi Kirk says
So glad you liked it!
Veena says
Love the colors. Perfect fall comfort food. Thanks for the recipe
Tania Sheff says
Absolutely scrumptious! I cannot wait to give it a try !
Kathi Kirk says
Hope you get the chance! Thanks for the nice note!
Choclette says
Love the colour contrasts in this dish. I have a favourite squash dish that includes cream and sage – such a wonderful combination.
Sarah @ Away From the Box says
Wow! This looks like the perfect Fall weeknight meal! Delicious AND easy? I’ll take it!
Kathi Kirk says
Thanks Sarah!
Natalia says
Looks amazing!! Question: How long do you simmer the cream sauce? I can never get the consistency right!
Kathi Kirk says
Great question! I will add in details! Usually only about 5 minutes. Heavy cream is pretty thick on its own. But agree, its a watch and see kinda thing!