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This simple Creamy Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni is the perfect dinner. Quick, easy, cheesy, and so delicious! Roasted butternut squash with shallots, garlic, and herbs in a creamy 4-cheese, sun-dried tomato, spinach sauce. Cooked together with rigatoni pasta, then finished in the oven for a simple, delicious fall dinner. Truly one of those pasta bake dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next dinner party too. You canโt go wrong with this Tuscan-style butternut squash pasta dish.
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Sometimes I look back at older recipes and I wonder what I was thinking when I decided to make and share that recipe. And then sometimes I look back and think, wow I need to make this!
This is a pasta that I looked way, way, way back for. I was going through recipes for our HBH 10-year anniversary when I came across this recipe and thought, yummm!
I looked at the recipe and thought, wow I could make that so much more efficiently than itโs written. So thatโs just what I did! I had all the ingredients with me at the time and decided to just go for it.
It turned out so delicious, I just had to re-share it!!
Here are details
First, youโll want to roast up the squash. Start by tossing the squash, shallots, and garlic with lots of fresh oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan.
Once the squash has finished roasting, blend it with the garlic and ricotta cheese until smooth. You can do this in aย food processorย orย blender.
Now the pasta, take a big oven-safe skillet with sides and add a few cups of water. Just enough to cook the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just al dente, but donโt drain it! Simply stir in the butternut squash mixture, milk, lots of spinach, the sun-dried tomatoes. And finish with a mix of gouda and parmesan cheese.
Toss everything until it is creamy. Top with fontina cheese and bake until melty and the sauce is bubbling up.
I usually top with fresh herbs, then serve it up! DELICIOUS!
This is my ideal fall dinner, and I even got the picky eaters to dive right into this! Itโs all that delicious cheese and creamy butternut squash in a Tuscan-style sauce. You just cannot turn away from that combo!
Looking for more comfort pasta recipes?ย Here are a few ideas:ย
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Pesto Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
One Pot French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni.
Ingredientsย
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 shallot, halved
- 6-10 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- chili flakes
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 pound rigatoni or other short cut pasta
- 1 cup milk or cream
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina or provolone cheese
Instructionsย
- 1. Preheat oven to 425ยฐ F.2. On a baking sheet, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, shallot, garlic, oregano, and a pinch each of chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the squash is tender.3. Pop the garlic cloves out of their skin. Add the butternut squash, shallot, garlic, and ricotta to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.4. In a large, oven-safe skillet with sides, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 8 minutes. Stir in the pureed butternut squash. Add the milk/ cream, Italian seasoning, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Stir in the gouda and parmesan until melted. 5. Remove from the heat and top with the fontina cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and gooey. Eat!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
How much of this recipe can you do in advance?
Hi Vivian,
I would make through step 4, cover and place in the fridge. You can bake when you are ready to serve.
I hope you love this recipe!
Would it work to add Italian sausage in for a protein?
Hi Maddy,
Totally, that would be a great idea for this recipe! Please let me know if you give it a try!
Absolutely delicious! This is staying in my dinner rotation indefinitely! I love the sweetness of the butternut squash and all the cheese choices! Have you tried it with sweet potato?
Hi Crystal,
Happy Thursday! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was a winner! I haven’t tried sweet potato, but I bet that would be yummy. x
Hi, Tieghan!! All of your recipes are DIVINE!!! With this one, would you thaw butternut squash before roasting or throw it in frozen? Also, if I’m making it for NYE and using chafing pans, should I prepare through step 4 then place in the chafing pan so it stays creamy or bake before placing in the chafing pan? Thanks!!
Hi Tara,
Thanks so much for your kind message:) I would let the squash thaw and then I would bake before transferring them to the chafing pans. I hope this helps! xT
Do you drain the water from pasta before adding butternut squash etc.
Hi Peggy,
Nope, you do not need to drain the water in this recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx