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Butternut squash pasta with basil served
Pasta served in a rich, silky butternut squash sauce garnished with fresh basil leaves

Creamy butternut squash pasta with fresh basil

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Main Courses Quick Meals
Forget heavy, creamy sauces! The creaminess of this pasta comes from the marriage of roasted butternut squash flesh and the starch in the pasta cooking water. This technique (which Italians call 'mantecatura') results in a silky, glossy sauce that perfectly coats every piece of pasta without weighing the 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

  • Hand blender or blender
  • Large pot for pasta
  • Frying pan for combining sauce

Allergen Information

⚠️ Gluten (pasta)
⚠️ Milk (if using cheese)

Instructions

1 ✓

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the squash, dice it, toss with a little oil and salt, then roast until soft in approx. 25 minutes.

Tip: Roasting concentrates flavours and evaporates excess water, giving you a more intense sauce than if you boiled it.
2 ✓

Put the pasta water on to boil. Salt generously! Cook the pasta 'al dente' (firm to the bite), but before draining, ladle out a mugful of the cooking water!

Tip: Never overcook pasta, as it will soften further in the sauce.
3 ✓

While the pasta cooks, put the roasted squash into a blender with the plant-based cream and raw garlic. Blend until completely smooth.

Tip: The hot squash partially cooks the raw garlic, so it won't be pungent, just aromatic.
4 ✓

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, pour in the squash cream. If too thick, dilute with the reserved pasta water until sauce consistency.

Tip: This is where you adjust the texture. The starchy water helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
5 ✓

Tip the drained pasta into the sauce and toss thoroughly for 1-2 minutes on the heat.

Tip: The surface of the pasta absorbs the sauce.
6 ✓

Remove from heat, stir in the torn fresh basil and half the cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese when serving.

Tip: Do not cook the basil, as it loses its fresh scent and turns brown.

Recipe FAQ

Why do I need the pasta cooking water?
The cooking water is full of released starch. This 'liquid gold' helps emulsify the sauce, i.e., binding the water with the oil, so the result is creamy, not watery.

Ingredients

  • 400 g Penne pasta (durum)
  • 500 g Butternut Squash
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 200 ml Plant-based cream (e.g. rice or oat cream)
  • 1 bunch Fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 50 g Grated Parmesan (or vegan alternative)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp White pepper