Butternut Squash Pasta with Lemon Butter
What’s better than a warm bowl of delicious pasta on a cool fall day? In my opinion, not much! This butternut squash pasta with lemon butter sauce is loaded with fall flavors. Easy to make and delicious, this butternut squash pasta with lemon butter will become a family favorite.
About this Butternut Squash Pasta
The fresh rosemary and thyme really enhance this dish and make it feel so cozy. Mix in the roasted butternut squash, lemon butter sauce, and fresh pomegranate seeds and this recipe is perfect.
In fact, the fresh pomegranate seeds add a burst of flavor and texture that tastes so good with the lemon butter sauce. Plus, their bright color makes the dish look so festive and fun. This butternut squash pasta recipe is perfect any night of the week but would look so beautiful on your table for the holidays too.
How to Roast Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash with a peeled and remove the ends. Carefully cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and place it on a baking tray. Roast the squash for 30-35 minutes or until its heated through. Slice or cube the squash before adding it to your pasta.
When boiling the pasta, make sure it is al dente. You will need to reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water for the sauce. The pasta will continue to cook in the lemon butter sauce, so you do not want it to get mushy.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through. This butternut squash pasta recipe makes four servings. Please see below for nutritional information. Looking for more pasta recipes? Try my chicken enchilada pasta or my creamy spinach artichoke bake.
Butternut Squash Pasta with Lemon Butter
Ingredients
Pasta and veggies / fruit:
- 8 ounces spaghetti pasta
- ¼ cup pasta water
- 1 medium butternut squash, peel, remove the ends and take out the seeds
- 2 cups kale, remove stems and roughly chop, pack into cup
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
Lemon butter sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra to drizzle over the pasta
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine, sauvignon blanc
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 3 sprigs thyme, fresh, not dried
- 2 sprigs rosemary, fresh, not dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- pasta pot
- baking tray
- peeler
- saucepan
- colander
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Gently spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Set it aside.
Prepare the pasta:
- Boil a pot of water and cook your pasta according to the package. Al dente is best. Reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water for the sauce. Drain off pasta water, drizzle the pasta with olive oil and set it aside.
Roast the butternut squash:
- Peel your butternut squash using a potato peeler. Remove the ends, cut it in half and then remove the seeds inside. Cube the butternut squash or slice it into ½ inch thick pieces. Place the butternut squash on the prepared baking tray. Drizzle it with olive oil and bake it for 30-35 minutes or until it is fork tender. Once it's fully cooked remove it from the oven and set it aside.
Prepare the lemon butter sauce:
- In a large saucepan, add olive oil, fresh thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, diced onions, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Once the onions begin to brown, deglaze the pan with white wine. Add the lemon juice, reserved pasta water, and butter. Simmer over a medium-high heat. Remove the rosemary and thyme springs.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the prepared kale. Once the kale begins to wilt, add in the cooked pasta and butternut squash.
- Toss everything together until the pasta and squash are well coated in the sauce.
- Transfer the pasta to a platter and top the entire dish with the fresh pomegranate seeds.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
