Roasted Butternut Squash Feta Pasta
Did you know you could roast up squash and sheet on a sheet pan and blitz it up into an incredible pasta sauce? Well, now ya do. Butternut squash feta pasta is creamy, savory, and packed with nutrients from roasted veggies and aromatic herbs. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have a rich but healthy, flavorful pasta that’s perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions.
Erica’s Notes
I’m in my squash era right now. Our weekly CSA boxes just stopped for the season but for the past few months I’ve been getting at least 1-2 varieties of winter squash each week. I’ve mentioned before that the most underrated winter squash is delicata squash, but today we’re talking butternut. Butternut is more well-known than delicata and usually easier to find. I’m harnessing the TikTok energy of 2020 for this recipe, because it’s similar to the viral baked feta pasta trend… but a little different.
Why I love this butternut squash baked feta pasta:
- It requires a handful of simple ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand.
- Although butternut squash is kind of a pain to peel and chop, the rest of this process is very low maintenance. Toss the veggies on a baking sheet, boil up some pasta, blitz the creamy sauce, toss together, you’re done.
- This is a fabulous recipe if you want to ‘sneak’ in some veggies for picky eaters! The sauce is almost entirely vegetables, but it presents like a creamy, cheesy pasta. Making sauces like this can be helpful for kids or adults who have sensory issues and don’t love a lot of veggies.
- Butternut squash is packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Just one cup provides nearly 300% of your daily vitamin A needs! It is also low in calories, high in fiber, naturally sweet, a little nutty and super yummy.
Serve this pasta as a vegetarian main dish paired with a big green salad and bread or for more protein, I like to add grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp. It could also be a side dish for a holiday menu. It’s an easy fall dinner that is so versatile and the depth of flavor is just wow. Let’s make it!
What You’ll Need to Make Butternut Squash Feta Pasta
Butternut squash: butternut is a type of winter squash with a sweet, nutty flavor and creamy texture, it forms the base of this sauce and adds natural sweetness. You can usually find it either whole or chopped in the produce section.
Feta cheese: feta is a tangy, crumbly Greek cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. It provides a salty contrast to the sweetness of the squash. You do need the block of feta, not the pre-crumbled kind, which you can find in the ‘fancy cheese kiosk’ in front of the deli. I like buying block feta from Costco because it’s the best price.
Sweet onion: sweet onion caramelizes beautifully when roasted, adding savory depth to the dish. Look for it near other onions and root vegetables.
Red bell pepper: sweet bell pepper enhances both the flavor and color of the pasta sauce.
Garlic: whole garlic cloves with the peel left turn rich, mild and buttery when roasted. They add fabulous flavor to the butternut sauce.
Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil adds moisture and helps caramelize the veggies for a richer flavor. You can find it in the oils and vinegars aisle at any grocery store.
Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme bring out the flavors of the squash and cheese without overpowering them.
Red pepper flakes: crushed red pepper adds a mild heat that balances the sauce; find it in the spice section with other seasonings.
Short pasta: the butternut sauce is rather ‘heavy’ because it is puréed veggies, so short pasta shapes like fusilli, penne, or cavatappi are ideal for catching the sauce and making this easier to eat.
Butter: just a little butter adds a final layer of richness to the sauce.
Parmesan cheese and/or fresh herbs: freshly grated parmesan cheese and herbs like basil, sage leaves or thyme finish the dish with a burst of freshness and savory flavor.
How to Make Butternut Squash Feta Pasta
Roast the Veggies
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and grease or line a large rimmed sheet pan or baking dish. Arrange the cubed butternut squash, red bell pepper, chopped onion, garlic cloves, and a block of feta cheese on the baking sheet. Drizzle everything with a little bit of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Toss butternut squash, pepper, garlic and onion with your hands to ensure an even coating, then roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and caramelized.
Boil the Pasta
While the veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions, until al dente. Just before draining, reserve at least 2 ½ cups of starchy pasta water.
Blitz the Sauce
Add the roasted veggies, feta, and garlic (squeezed from its skin) to a blender. Pour in 1 ½ cups of reserved pasta water to the feta mixture, and blend on high until smooth, adding a little pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches the consistency of thin soup (about 2 ½ cups in total).
Toss It Up
Drain and return cooked pasta to the pot. Add the blended sauce and butter, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
Serve
Serve your pasta hot, topped with freshly grated parmesan, basil or thyme, and and a few cranks of black pepper.
Expert Tips
- Don’t forget to salt the pasta water! I like to add several big pinches of salt, that’s what gives pasta its flavor.
- Remember to reserve the pasta water- it adds a lot of flavor to the sauce!
- Cut the butternut squash cubes pretty small so they roast up quickly. It’s okay if the pepper and onion chunks are bigger than the butternut cubes, because the squash takes a little longer to cook.
- A really great blender makes for a really smooth sauce. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you could use an immersion blender or food processor but the sauce might not get quite as silky smooth.
- Sprinkle the whole thing with toasted breadcrumbs, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts for crunch.
FAQs
Absolutely! Store the sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a small saucepan on the oven before serving.
You can use an immersion blender or food processor, but your sauce might not be quite as smooth. Still delicious though!
Honestly, you could really use ANY pasta here, but I like short pasta like fusilli, rotini or gemelli. The specific one I use here is the ‘organic fusilli corti bucati’ pasta from Trader Joe’s.
If you want to keep things vegetarian serve with a big salad + a roasted veggie or loaf of garlic bread or I love to serve this with balsamic grilled chicken or pork tenderloin.
Either omit the feta or use a vegan feta alternative. I’m not 100% sure how vegan feta will roast/caramelize in the oven so keep an eye on it!
Gimme a bite o’ dat. 🤤
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Roasted Butternut Squash Feta Pasta
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Roast + Blend
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
The perfect balance of earthy, subtly sweet, tangy and herbaceous, this butternut squash feta pasta will have you coming back for forkful after forkful!
Ingredients
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 small butternut squash), cubed in 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 6 cloves garlic, root ends trimmed off
- 8oz block feta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1lb short pasta (like fusilli, gemelli, penne, cavatappi or rotini)
- 2 1/2 cups starchy pasta water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- For serving: parmesan cheese, fresh basil or thyme
Instructions
- Roast the veggies: preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease or line a large rimmed sheet pan with a silicone baking mat. Use a sharp knife to cut off the root end of the garlic cloves, but keep the peel on. This makes it easier to squeeze the roasted garlic out of its peel. Arrange cubed butternut squash, bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves and the block of feta on the baking sheet. Drizzle feta and veggies with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried thyme and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to toss the veggies to get them evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Roast veggies, garlic and feta for 20-22 minutes until tender and caramelized around the edges.
- Boil the pasta: while the veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, making sure to reserve at least 2 ½ cups starchy pasta water during the last minute of cooking time.
- Blend the sauce: place cooked veggies and cheese in a high-powered blender. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skin. Add 1 ½ cups starchy pasta water. Blend on high until the mixture is very smooth, adding water as needed until the sauce is silky and the consistency of a thin soup. I use a total of 2 ½ cups water, you may need a little more or less.
- Toss it up: drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the butternut squash feta sauce and butter, tossing until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: serve hot topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs and a crack of black pepper.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Refer to above blog post for ingredient information, step-by-step photos and answers to frequently asked questions!
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 524
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 569 mg
- Fat: 20.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 70.2 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 16.5 g
- Cholesterol: 43.9 mg
Can I add a bonus 6th star?!?!! This was amazing, but I did use what I had on hand… used a yellow pepper and instead of feta, I had a shallot and chive Boursin cheese. I have another butternut squash on the counter – so I’ll pick up some feta to do it right; probably next week when Thanksgiving family starts to arrive. Hubs thought it needed more salt, but that is his comment for just about everything – so don’t take to much stock in that.
Lol my mom always wants more salt too. Boursin cheese would be SO yummy, doing that next time for sure!
This was SO amazing! The sauce was so incredibly creamy and flavorful, and I didn’t get that yucky “heavy” feeling you get after you eat traditional mac & cheese since it doesn’t have nearly as much full fat dairy. I also paired it with your balsamic chicken recipe, but instead of chicken I used tofu since I’m a pescatarian. BOMB flavor blast combo! Another 5 star recipe!
Omg LOVE THIS! Also love that you used tofu! I have to try that, sounds so good with the balsamic marinade!
I just made this and it was amazing! So easy and delicious. It will become a regular at my house!
Yay happy to hear Christine, thanks for trying and for your review!
holy smokes, this is delicious! that’s all i can say about it. i served it with the kale and spinach salad with fig balsamic dressing, and i am so satisfied.
Oooh yeah this one is going into the rotation. SO FREAKING GOOD!!!
heck yah girl!! I hope Richard liked it too 😉
I was looking for something cozy to make, and this hit the spot. Creamy and tons of flavor. So easy to make! We’re talking about adding in spinach and sausage next time!
After seeing you make this on Instagram I knew I wanted to try it. Saved it and made it for the first time yesterday. It’s so comforting and the flavouring is perfect. Plus, it’s so easy to make. Eating for two, I just boiled half a portion of pasta and used half the sauce so today I’ll just boil some more pasta and use the rest of the sauce for supper again! I’ll be passing the recipe on to other family members as well! I love your passion for cooking and eating flavourful food!
This comment made my evening, thank you for sharing!
This is sooooooo delicious! I was skeptical that it would be creamy, and thought maybe it would be too sweet since butternut squash and red bell peppers are sweet, but the feta balances the sweetness out just perfectly. LOADED with flavor and creaminess. For sure will be making this again and again.
I really like this recipe! I used dried herbs instead of fresh and I do think it would be best with fresh to give the recipe the best flavor.
As always, a HIT! Even my veggie adverse husband ate a second helping. Thanks for always sharing winners!
It might just be me but this wasn’t a hit for me. I think I want my saucy noodles to be either red sauce or cheese sauce, and I’ve heard over time that veggie based sauces are not something I love.
This one is a huge hit in my household and my semi-picky kids! And other that cutting up the butternut squash, it’s super simple. I’ve been slicing up some chicken sausage and roasting it along with the veggies and feta, and then I add that to the final mixture (don’t put it in the blender with the veggies and feta), and it gives it even more flavor and protein. I use the Kirkland parmesan and cracked black pepper chicken sausage from Costco for that. So good!
Omg LOVE the addition of roasted chicken sausage Maddie!