Treat yourself to this scrumptious Delicata Squash Pasta! This tasty pasta recipe has an irresistible creamy sauce, slices of tender roasted squash, and a yummy fried sage topping. So delicious, and best of all, it's super easy to make!
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Ginnie's Take
I absolutely love delicata squash! The flavor and texture are so delcious, and because the peel is edible, there's no time-consuming peeling required. It's also super versatile, and I've used it in everything from side dishes to main courses. This yummy Delicata Squash Pasta is a recent favorite, and I know you're going to love it, too. It's the perfect way to use this tasty winter squash!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious Flavor - This recipe is a must try for delicata squash lovers! It uses the squash two ways: in the sauce, and for roasted slices that you'll toss with the pasta. Speaking of that creamy pasta sauce, it's truly mouthwatering. And the crispy sage is the tastiest finishing touch!
- Easy to Make - While this pasta feels a little fancy, it's actually pretty simple to prepare, and the oven does much of the work for you.
- Great for Any Fall Dinner - This recipe is easy enough for weeknights, yet it's impressive enough for dinner parties and fall holidays (like Thanksgiving), too.
Jump to:
Ingredients
This easy recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Squash - You'll need two delicata squashes for this recipe. One of the squashes gets sliced and roasted, and the other is cut in half and roasted, then blended with ricotta to form the creamy sauce. Tip: When selecting delicata squash, choose squash with firm, smooth skin.
- Pasta - I used cavatappi for this recipe, but other pasta twists (such as fusilli), as well as chunky shapes (like penne), will also work great.
- Ricotta - This simple pasta sauce is made by blending ricotta cheese (along with brown butter and garlic) with one of the roasted squash. Use whole milk ricotta for the best flavor and creamiest texture.
- Olive Oil + Butter - You'll use extra virgin olive oil to roast the squash, and you'll use unsalted butter to cook the sage leaves.
- Sage - This recipe features Crispy Sage Leaves, which are super easy to make and so delicious! You'll use some of the fried sage (along with the butter it's cooked in) for the sauce, and you'll top the pasta with the rest.
- Garlic - You'll need some fresh garlic for the sauce.
- Herbs - The sliced squash gets tossed with dried thyme and rosemary before roasting.
This recipe is vegetarian and nut free. Check out the Variations section below for tips on adapting it to other diets.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a couple baking sheets to roast the squash, a food processor to make the sauce, a large frying pan and some tongs (or a spider skimmer) to fry the sage, and a large pot to cook the pasta.
How to Make Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta
This Delicata Pasta recipe has a few steps, but each one is super easy! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Roast squash. Start by cutting both squash in half (lengthwise), then remove the seeds. Slice one of the squash, then place on a baking sheet, and mix with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Place the two squash halves on a separate baking sheet, rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then place cut side down. Roast everything until tender.
- Fry sage. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the sage leaves and cook until crisp. Place the crisped leaves on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt. Set aside 18 leaves, then crumble the rest.
- Make sauce. When the two squash halves are done cooking, scrape out the flesh with a spoon. Mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the squash, ricotta, and the butter you used to cook the sage. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Mix sauce + pasta. While the squash roasts, cook the pasta. Reserve a half cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well. Combine the pasta and sauce, adding just enough pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce.
- Add squash slices. Stir the roasted squash slices and the crumbled sage into the pasta.
- Top with sage. Serve the pasta topped with the crispy sage leaves.
Okay, time to enjoy your Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta!
Variations
This Pasta with Delicata Squash and Sage is easy to customize! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Squash - Replace the delicata squash with other winter squash varieties, such as butternut, honeynut, or acorn.
- Pasta - Swap out the cavatappi with fusilli or rotini, or use other chunky shapes, like penne or rigatoni.
- Butter - If you're out of butter, you can cook the sage in olive oil instead.
- Garlic - For a milder garlic flavor, roast a head of garlic, then add it to the sauce.
- Gluten Free - To make this recipe gluten free, use GF pasta.
- Vegan + Dairy Free - For a vegan and dairy free option, use plant based butter and vegan ricotta.
Servings Suggestions
Pair this Delicata Squash Pasta with a salad (like this Kale, Apple, and Pumpkin Seed Salad or this Simple Green Salad), and dinner is done! For a heartier meal, add Garlic Bread. And don't forget dessert! These Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies would be delish for a casual meal, or for a festive feast, make this No Bake Pumpkin Cheese Cake, these Cranberry Parfaits, or this Pumpkin Mousse.
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in your refrigerator, where it will stay fresh for up to four days. Rewarm gently in your microwave. If the sauce seems dry, add a few drops of water before heating.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this pasta, check out my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese next! You'll love these other delicata squash ideas, too:
- This yummy Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash makes a wonderful veggie entrée for fall holidays.
- Serve this easy Roasted Delicata Squash alongside all your favorite autumn meals.
- This gorgeous Roasted Delicata Squash Salad tastes even better than it looks. Perfect for special occasions!
- Save the seeds from all these recipes to make these delish Roasted Delicata Seeds!
Delicata Squash Pasta
Ingredients
For Squash:
- 2 medium delicata squashes
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
For Sage:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 24 sage leaves
For Pasta + Sauce:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) spiral pasta (such as cavatappi, fusilli, or rotini)
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- kosher salt
- pepper
Equipment
- Tongs
- Large Pot (to cook pasta)
Instructions
Prepare Squash:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Slice both squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with a spoon.
- Rub two of the squash halves allover with ½ teaspoon olive oil each. Sprinkle cut side with salt and pepper, then place cut side down on baking sheet.
- Cut the other two squash halves into slices about ⅜-inch thick, then place on a separate baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place both baking sheets in oven. Roast squash halves until fork tender and lightly browned on edges (about 20 to 25 minutes). Roast squash slices 20 minutes, then flip. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes or until browned and tender. Set aside.
Fry Sage:
- While squash is roasting, heat butter in a large frying pan. Cover a large plate with a couple layers of paper towel, then set aside.
- When butter is hot, add sage. Swirl pan to cover sage with butter, then cook just until sage turns dark green (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Do not brown.
- Use tongs to remove sage from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate. Reserve butter for pasta sauce.
- Sprinkle sage lightly with salt. Crumble 6 of the leaves, then set crumbled sage and whole leaves aside.
Cook Pasta:
- When you're finished with the sage, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
- Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then set aside. Drain pasta well, then return to pot. Set aside.
Make Sauce:
- Use a spoon to scrape the flesh from the two roasted squash halves. Discard the peel.
- Mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the squash, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved sage butter.
- Blend squash-ricotta mixture until totally smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Finish Pasta:
- Add sauce to the pasta, then mix to coat, adding just enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Gently mix squash slices and crumbled sage into the pasta.
- Serve pasta topped with crispy sage leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
