Delicata Squash Pasta
Learn how to make the best pasta with roasted delicata squash, crispy sage, and an irresistible creamy sauce!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 416kcal
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
Ricotta - Use whole milk ricotta for the best flavor and creamiest texture.
Seeds - Save the seeds to make Roasted Delicata Squash Seeds.
Recipe Timing - This pasta is easy to make, but it has a few steps, so it's important to get the timing right. Start the squash first, then once it's in the oven, fry the sage (you need to give this your full attention, because it cooks fast!). Start cooking the pasta about 10 minutes before the squash slices are done roasting.
Pasta Tip - I often bring a pot of water to boil at the very start of the recipe, then turn it off once it starts boiling. That way, it takes much less time to heat up when you're ready to cook the pasta.
More - Check out the info before this recipe card for helpful tips, step by step photos, recipe variations, serving suggestions, and more!
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcal
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