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Pumpkin pasta with basil served
Creamy and nutritious pumpkin pasta with fresh basil

Creamy Butternut Squash Penne Pasta

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes Main Courses Quick Meals
Forget heavy cream sauces! This pasta's creaminess comes from roasted squash flesh and starchy pasta water marriage. This technique (Italians call 'mantecatura') yields silky glossy sauce coating every noodle without weighing dish down.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 45 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 480 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Immersion blender or blender
  • Large pot for pasta
  • Skillet for sauce

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat (Pasta)
⚠️ Dairy (if using cheese)

Instructions

1 ✓

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel squash, cube, toss with little oil/salt, roast tender approx 25 mins.

Tip: Roasting concentrates flavor/evaporates water yielding intense sauce vs boiling.
2 ✓

Boil pasta water. Salt generously! Cook pasta 'al dente' (firm to bite), but reserve mugful cooking water before draining!

Tip: Never overcook pasta, it cooks more in sauce.
3 ✓

While pasta cooks, put roasted squash in blender with plant cream and raw garlic. Blend completely smooth.

Tip: Hot squash partially cooks raw garlic so it's aromatic not sharp.
4 ✓

Heat olive oil in large skillet, pour in squash cream. If too thick, thin with reserved pasta water to sauce consistency.

Tip: Adjust texture here. Starchy water helps sauce cling.
5 ✓

Dump drained pasta into sauce, toss thoroughly 1-2 mins on heat.

Tip: Pasta surface absorbs sauce.
6 ✓

Remove from heat, stir in fresh torn basil and half cheese. Top with remaining cheese to serve.

Tip: Don't cook basil, loses aroma/browns.

Recipe FAQ

Why need pasta water?
Cooking water is full of released starch. This 'liquid gold' helps emulsify sauce, binding water and oil for creamy, not watery, result.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz Penne Pasta (durum)
  • 1 lb Butternut Squash
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 0.75 cup Plant-Based Cream (e.g. Rice or Oat)
  • 1 bunch Fresh Basil
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 0.25 cup Grated Parmesan (or vegan alternative)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp White Pepper