This creamy butternut squash pasta recipe is a delicious and savory weeknight meal. Ingredients include butternut squash, cream, butter, parmesan, pasta, and parsley and you’ll want to make this again and again!
I’m excited to share with you one of my all time favorite recipes, this creamy butternut squash pasta. I have been making it for years and it is seriously delicious. I usually make the pasta with butternut squash but you could easily use kabocha squash, pumpkin, delicata squash or acorn squash instead. Everyone I have made this pasta for over the years has loved it (including kids!) and I hope you will too.
This recipe is simple but slow cooking and will take some patience; I have tried to speed up the cooking time by increasing the heat but trust me, it is not as good! Slow and steady. Keep the burner on low and let it cook for the time in needs, I promise it is worth it!
How To Make Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Adapted from Perfect Vegetarian Serves 4-6 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup white or yellow onion very finely chopped salt and pepper 4 cups cubed butternut squash (or other squash variety) pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (or dried nutmeg) 12 oz fusilli (or other pasta) 3/4 cup cream 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (plus extra for serving) 2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat leaf parsley (plus extra for garnish)1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pan over low heat. Add the onions and a little salt and cook covered for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently.
If you haven’t peeled, discarded the seeds and cubed the butternut squash yet, this is the time to do it.
2. Add the squash into the pan with the onions and season with nutmeg. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pan for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain thoroughly but reserve one cup of the cooking liquid.
4. Stir the cream, grated parmesan, and parsley into the pumpkin sauce and season with salt and pepper. If the mixture is too thick add up to 2/3 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and stir. Add in the pasta and toss for 1 minute. Serve creamy butternut squash pasta immediately with parsley as a garnish and Parmesan cheese on the side for sprinkling.
5. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe
This creamy, savory, vegetarian butternut squash recipe is a delicious weeknight meal. Ingredients include butternut squash, cream, butter, parmesan, pasta, and parsley and you'll want to make this again and again!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion very finely chopped
- salt & pepper
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg or dried nutmeg
- 12 oz fusilli or other pasta
- 3/4 cup cream
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
-
Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pan over low heat. Â Add the onions and a little salt and cook covered for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently. If you haven't peeled, discarded the seeds and cubed the butternut squash yet, this is the time to do it.
-
Add the squash into the pan with the onions and season with nutmeg. Â Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pan for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain thoroughly but reserve one cup of the cooking liquid.
-
Stir the cream, grated parmesan, and parsley into the pumpkin sauce and season with salt and pepper. Â If the mixture is too thick add up to 2/3 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and stir. Â Add in the pasta and toss for 1 minute. Serve immediately with parsley as a garnish and Parmesan cheese on the side for sprinkling.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is adapted from Perfect Vegetarian
If you make this creamy butternut squash pasta please share on instagram using hashtag #rainbowdelicious & and tag me at @rainbowdelicious , I’d love to see what you are up to in your kitchen!
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love that you posted this I have been craving this recipe!!!
This recipe totally reminds me of our time in Boulder, hope you and your sweet girls enjoy it!
Made this last week and it was super yummy and a big hit!! It will become a regular!!
I’m so glad you liked it Meg!
I love this kind of healthy confort food! We need more squash recipes as we head into fall!
Me too, Kelly! Can’t have too many squash recipes for Fall 🙂
Such a wonderfully colorful meat free dish.
Thanks, Razena! I’m so inspired by colorful food and this is one of my very favorites!
What a great way to use butternut squash. Sounds awesome!!
Thanks, Gloria!
This looks like such a perfect summer salad! I’ve got a butternut squash that needs using so I think this will have to work it’s way into my menu 🙂
Thanks, enjoy Sarah!
I’m pinning this for later. We love squash and I have some comin ripe soon. This recipe is on my “to do ” list. Thanks!
We love squash, too, and hope you enjoy this recipe. Thanks, Diane!
I love the idea of adding squash to a pasta dish! Great way to boost the nutritional value! Very creative !!
Thanks, Elysia! I love pasta, so any way to make it a little more healthy and colorful is a win in my book!
This is so pretty and I love the addition of butternut squash. Super healthy twist and looks delish!
Thanks, Heather!
Delicious! I love butternut squash and with pasta, this sounds so satisfying!
Thanks, Judy!
I love this and it sounds perfect for the fall! Amazing recipe with stuff I have in my pantry!
Thanks, Katie! That’s what I like about this recipe- simple ingredients but extraordinary flavor!
I love squash, and I think this is a fabulous idea to include it in this pasta dish – yum! And so healthy, too!
I love squash too, thanks Patricia!
I’ve never tried a squash pasta before! I’ll have to make this for my family!
This is a great first one to try! Enjoy!
SO SO SO DELICIOUS
Thanks so much for your positive feedback, Catherine!
We added some pine nuts for some texture and it was phenomenal!! My family loves it!!
That sounds like a delicious addition- next time I make this I’m going to add pine nuts! Thanks, Desiree!
We are definitely going to have this creamy butternut squash pasta tonight! It looks really scrumptious and it’s making me crave.
I hope you love it!
So creamy and delicious! We love this in our house – it’s a family favourite!
This makes me so happy to hear, thanks Alexandra!
Both my kids loved this pasta. Super simple and easy to make.
So glad to hear this Caitlyn!
Butternut squash is so cheap where I live at the moment so I bought some so try this recipe and it was so so delicious! We all loved it!
Thanks Nart! So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks so rich and comforting. I know my family will love this.
Thanks, Amanda!