Butternut Squash & Sage Brown Butter Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 mediumbutternut squash (about 2 pounds)
- 12 ouncespasta (short shapes like penne or rigatoni)
- 4 tablespoonunsalted butter
- 12 leaffresh sage
- 3 clovegarlic
- 1lemon
- ½ cupparmesan cheese
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Peel and cube 1 medium butternut squash into 1-inch pieces.
- 02
Slice 3 cloves garlic and pick 12 sage leaves from the stems.
- 03
Zest and halve 1 lemon. Grate 0.5 cup parmesan cheese.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and cut into 1-inch cubes (peel if using a vegetable peeler, or leave skin on if preferred—it softens). Add squash to boiling water and cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender.
- 02
Add the pasta to the same pot with the squash and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- 03
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Thinly slice the garlic and add to the butter. Cook for 1–2 minutes until golden and fragrant, then add sage leaves. Continue cooking until the butter turns light brown and smells nutty, about 2–3 minutes total. Remove from heat.
- 04
Add the drained pasta and squash to the brown butter. Toss gently, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats everything in a silky glaze. Zest the lemon over the top and squeeze in half the juice.
- 05
Divide among bowls, top with shredded parmesan, a crack of black pepper, and a final squeeze of lemon if desired. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For warmth, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the brown butter. A touch of nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon) stirred in at the end brings out the squash's natural sweetness.
If butternut squash feels hard to cut raw, microwave it whole for 3–4 minutes to soften the skin first. The brown butter is forgiving—stop when it smells toasty and nutty.