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The coziest bowl of Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta. Best for nights when you’re craving Italian, but also craving fall flavors. Butternut squash and garlic, roasted with fresh herbs and pureed into a creamy sauce with ricotta cheese. All together they make for the most vibrant and delicious pasta. Finish off with parmesan cheese and crispy-salty prosciutto for an autumn dinner that’s roll your eyes back GOOD.
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Monday nights are better with cozy bowls of pasta. It’s got to just be a fact by now. But really, it’s been chilly, chilly here and I’m loving every minute of the cozy weather.
I said this yesterday in the favorite’s post, but I thrive this time of year. It just makes me so happy.
And let’s be real, I LOVE the food. Especially the creamy plates of pasta. And today’s pasta is almost perfection (almost because perfection is overrated).
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Cubed butternut squash
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Chopped fresh rosemary
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Prosciutto
- Ricotta cheese
- Long or short cut pasta
- Salted butter
- Fresh chopped sage
- Shredded gouda cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
This pasta is fun to make – here are the details
I kept this as simple as can be, so don’t let the steps and time throw you off. Promise the recipe is easy, you just need some time to roast that squash.
The heart of the pasta is really all in the butternut squash and garlic…and the herbs, cheese, and geez I guess the prosciutto too. Ok, so everything together is what makes it delish. The secret? Roasting the squash, garlic, and prosciutto together on the same sheet pan. As the squash roasts, the garlic caramelizes, and the prosciutto gets crispy.
First, toss the squash and garlic with lots of fresh thyme, rosemary, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Arrange the prosciutto around the squash and roast for a bit. Very simple.
Of course, if you don’t eat meat, you can easily omit the prosciutto to make this a vegetarian pasta. I would add sun-dried tomatoes, those would be delish.
Purée the squash into sauce
Once the squash has finished roasting, puree it with the garlic and ricotta cheese until smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender.
Next, boil the pasta, but save some of the water for thinning sauce.
Now melt the butter in a skillet with sage. Next, add the squash purée and a splash of the cooking water. Stir in some gouda cheese, add the pasta, and toss, toss, toss. Taste and season as needed. And well…you’re done.
Then serve topped with extra parmesan and that crispy prosciutto and fresh sage.
It’s such a creamy, delicious pasta that has all the flavors we love most this time of year. And it’s cheesy – very cheesy, so it’s beyond good. Think roll your eye back, go for that second serving good.
Great for the end of October and then into November when the nights are cold and long. The perfect bowl to cozy up to by the fire.
Looking for other butternut squash recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza
Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon
Fall Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Sage Butter and Prosciutto Breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta 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, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch our how-to video:
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 6-10 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 pound long or short cut pasta
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 2. On a baking sheet, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, garlic, thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Arrange the prosciutto around the squash. Bake 20 minutes, check the prosciutto, then bake another 10-15 minutes, until the squash is tender. 3. Add the butternut squash, garlic, and ricotta to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain.5. In a large skillet, melt together the butter, sage, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Cook until the butter is browning, then add the butternut puree and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, stirring until combined. Melt in the gouda and parmesan. 6. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. If needed, thin the pasta sauce with a little of the reserved cooking water. 7. Divide the pasta between plates. Top with parmesan and prosciutto. Twirl the pasta up. EAT and ENJOY.
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.
Wanting to add a roasted vegetable on top of the finished pasta, what would you suggest?
Hey JT,
I think roasted cauliflower would work well here! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope it’s delish! xTieghan
This was AMAZING. All of the flavors mix magically. Next time I’m going to add more prosciutto because it’s just so good but can’t wait to make soon!
Hey Maureen,
Happy Wednesday!👻 I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
Hello!
Making this recipe tonight for a group of 4, would love to know what you thikn would be a good salad & appetizer pairing?
Please let me know. This looks amazing! So excited.
Hi Hana,
Here are some recipes you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/autumn-harvest-honeycrisp-apple-and-feta-salad/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/goat-cheese-with-warm-candied-bacon/
I hope you love the recipes, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Making this now and it smells heavenly!! Didn’t have the prosciutto but wish I did- it’s the perfect pairing!
Hi Ann,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out! xT🍂
Oh my gosh this was incredible. I forgot the sage and accidentally used an extra Tablespoon of Rosemary during roasting, but it still turned out great. 2 cups of butternut squash didn’t look like enough so we added an extra 1/2-3/4c.
I didn’t have proscuitto but I did have some spicy Italian sausage to use up. 1lb was the perfect amount for this much pasta.
Highly recommend, will absolutely make again!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for sharing what worked well for you and making this recipe! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
This was excellent. So yummy and soul filing on a chilly fall day. The prosciutto is a “chefs kiss” on top. I dint have fresh herbs, so I cut the measurements down to tsp’s instead. Still turned out amazing!
Hi Beckoe,
Happy Monday!🎃 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx
This was awesome- easy and delicious! Will make again!
Hey Sarah,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
If vegetarian and substituting the sun dried tomatoes for the prosciutto,
1) should i have the kind in liquid or the dried kind?
2) how many tomatoes should I get?
Thanks
Hey there,
I would use sun dried tomatoes in a jar and use however many you like:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
when you use “xxx pounds of squash” please please please list the approximately how many cups of pulp you expect to have for the actual sauce…we can adjust the rest of the ingredients if we have more or less!
Hi there,
Sorry, I don’t have those measurements:) I used 2 cups of squash. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Very tasty! I found it a bit too herb-heavy, I would cut the herbs in half or do 3/4 of each. I also added a little extra squash. Make sure to follow the garlic roasting instructions from the video! The prosciutto should come out after the first 20 mins or so. Mine was a little too crispy after leaving in for 30 mins total.
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! 👻
Totally delicious. I used fettuccine noodles and which worked well. Don’t skip the prosciutto! I’m not sure if I overlooked the squash a bit, but my sauce was very thick – I added a whole cup of pasta water and it still needed more. Keep extra to be safe!
Hey Kendra,
Happy Wednesday!👻 I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
Could I use sweet potato instead of butternut squash? I love your recipes!
Hi Jenn,
Sure, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Would I be able to sub mozzarella (fresh or regular shredded) for the Gouda?
Hi Suzanne,
Totally, that would work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xx
We accidentally overcooked the pumpkin a little bit but was still so delicious. Will definitely become a regular recipe in our home!
Hey Gen,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) ?
Turned out great! I had to use Greek yogurt instead of ricotta and american cheese slices instead of the gouda. Less fancy but so yummy!
Hey Blanca,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Hi there, can I make the sauce a day or two before and keep chilled in the fridge.
Hi Sandy,
Sure, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Do you remove the sage leaves?
Hi Chris,
Nope, you do not need to remove the sage leaves since they are chopped:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was incredible!!!! Had to use cottage cheese instead of ricotta but turned out perfect :). Added a teeny tiny bit of hot honey to sweeten up the sauce
Hi Anabel,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xTieghan