Butternut Squash Pasta

5 from 3 votes

This creamy Butternut Squash Pasta is pure comfort food! Enjoy fettuccine coated in a rich sauce with tender roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, and fresh thyme.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Roasting Time35

Total Time1 5

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash pasta

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $10.12

Equipment

Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Large pan

Ingredients

Squash

6 cups cubed butternut squash
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pasta

10 ounces fettuccine not the whole box, plus pasta water
6 ounces thick-sliced bacon see note 1
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots optional
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, see note 2
4 cups baby spinach lightly packed, see note 3
fresh thyme optional, see note 4

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes. On a large sheet pan, add the squash, oil, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss well and space out the cubes on the sheet pan. Roast for 30–35 minutes or until crisp tender, flipping every 10 minutes. If they are too closely spaced or cut too large, this will take 5–10 minutes longer. Remove and set aside.
Bring 12 cups water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the pasta. Cook according to package instructions minus 1-1/2 minutes. Use a mug to remove a big scoop of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
Dice the bacon and cook over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottom pan until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels. Leave the drippings in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add shallots, garlic, and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until golden, about 1–2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth; it should sizzle and boil. Scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once this 1/2 cup is mostly evaporated, add in the other 1/2 cup and stir.
Add in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes or until it thickens and slightly reduces.
Add the spinach and pasta and use tongs to toss into the cream sauce until the spinach cooks down and the sauce thickens and nicely coats the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add in the reserved pasta water. Once sufficiently tossed, add in the roasted squash and 3/4 of the bacon. Gently toss to coat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Serve immediately. Top individual plates with remaining bacon pieces, a touch more Parmesan, and fresh thyme. Enjoy immediately! Pasta is best enjoyed right after being tossed!

Video

Notes

Note 1: To ensure there are plenty of drippings and flavor left behind, use 4 slices thick-sliced bacon. If you don't have thick bacon, you'll need 6 slices.

Note 2: Grab a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it on the small holes of a grater to get an accurate measurement and the perfect melt in this sauce.

Note 3: While the spinach doesn’t have to be chopped, it does integrate better in the dish that way. I just quickly run a chef's knife through a big pile of spinach!

Note 4: I use fresh thyme to add a burst of fall flavor to this pasta; it’s optional, but delicious.

Storage: As with most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed the minute the sauce is emulsified. You can store leftovers but will likely need to add some more heavy cream as you reheat the pasta to loosen the sauce again. Because of the dairy in this dish, it isn’t a great candidate for freezing and thawing.

Nutrition