creamy butternut squash ricotta pasta with crispy sage
I could throw down a pretty hefty bowl of these carbs, yes I could.
Fall and creamy pasta are the utmost partners in crime. Though our autumn isn’t really comparable to much of the country, we’ve cooled down somewhat of late, and that meals I want to eat all the rich and savory foods. Soups, casseroles, pastas, you name it. And ya’ll…this is a pretty good one to throw into the rotation.
Creamy McDreamy Butternut Squash Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Sage is a perfect October dish. The comfiest culinary sweater. I need more butternut in my life, since it’s my favorite of the seasonal gourds. Well, pumpkin notwithstanding, but I never cook a whole pumpkin so I’ll pretend it doesn’t qualify.
I’m finally feeling a bit more settled after two weeks on-the-go and experiencing a bit of normalcy in my daily routine. When I’m thrown out of alignment, I feel zombified, and that word describes my scattered mindset up until Monday. Running usually helps me realign myself, but it isn’t the end-all-be-all; until I was able to do my certain tasks on my certain days, some part of my brain remained confused. I’m glad, at last, to have a bit of a reprieve.
If you’re feeling a little whack or off for whatever reason, cozy up with a comfort food of yours. For me, it was a cup of herbal tea, popcorn, and a maple leaf cookie from Trader Joe’s. Maybe for you it will become this dish? Either way, it’s worth your time.
Nutty for Butternut
Roasting the butternut squash brings this dish to life. The components aren’t complicated, but the caramelization of the squash emphasizes each and morphs the sauce we create later into something you just want to lick straight from the food processor.
Toss the squash with smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, and rosemary. Toss a few garlic cloves, in their skins, on the tray and roast until the squash is tender.
Peel the skins off the garlic and throw that whole sheet pan (ok, not the pan itself, that’d take mad skill) in a food processor along with ricotta. Whip it up, and give it a taste for salt and pepper. I added a touch more of each because I’m a salty-ass man.
Creamy McDreamy
Straight after I roast the squash and take it out of the oven, I start the pasta water. The squash will cool off enough to handle in the amount of time it takes for the water to boil.
I used fettucine for my bowls, but you can snag any of your favorite cuts from the store, even a short-cut. Rigatoni would be pretty swell. Cook your choice noodle off, and when you drain it out, reserve some of the pasta water. Very important for the sauce.
The brown butter base of the sauce doubles as a vessel for crisping sage leaves. This step isn’t completely required, but a good crispy sage garnish looks pretty in your portions and adds a lovely woodsy flavor to the meal.
Once the sage is nice and snappy, move it off to paper towels to drain. Throw the squash puree into the butter along with cheddar and parmesan cheeses and coconut milk. You can swap the latter out for whole milk or half and half if you need or want to remove the coconut. Chuck in the pasta and thin out the sauce with pasta water so it coats the noodles perfectly.
Serve up each bowl with the crispy sage and some extra parmesan. I don’t feel the need to be over-excessive with garnish because the sauce is a powerhouse of awesome on its own. If you have leftovers to reheat, drizzle in a tablespoon or two of water before zapping in the microwave. This will help loosen the sauce from the starchy noods.
Finish off the whole meal with a festive autumn salad, perhaps my Shredded Brussels Sprout Apple Salad or the Fig and Kale Crunch Salad. Greens for balance, you know. Plus, they’re both pretty phenomenal so I figured I’d do some casual namedropping.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Unsolicited noods (except you know you want them):
One Pot Sundried Tomato Pesto Ricotta Pasta
Creamy White Wine Pumpkin Tortellini
creamy butternut squash ricotta pasta with crispy sage
Ingredients
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, in skin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 12-16 fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 lb long-cut pasta of choice (I used fettucine)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, rosemary, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Arrange garlic cloves on the pan. Roast 18-20 minutes until the squash is tender. Let cool until you can comfortably handle the squash.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Remove the garlic from the skins. In a food processor, whiz the squash, garlic, and ricotta until smooth.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the sage is crispy and the butter browns slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and drain on a paper towel. Stir in the squash puree, coconut milk, cheeses, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta into the sauce, adding more pasta water to thin as needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve the pasta with the crispy sage and extra parmesan, as desired.
