Squash turned into a pasta sauce? Oh yes. This creamy butternut squash sauce is rich, velvety, and packed with cozy, (butter)nutty sweetness. Golden—not just over pasta, but also with roasted vegetables or snuggled happily into your next Buddha bowl..
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think squash? Cozy, wintry soups? (Same. Also, I’ve got a couple of good ones for you—see here and here.) Or maybe those deliciously caramelized, golden-roasted squash cubes tossed with arugula, cherry tomatoes, and pasta? One of my all-time fave recipes when squash season comes around.
But did you know that squash is also out here making the creamiest, dreamiest pasta sauce—with zero heavy cream needed? Just a quick sauté with onion, a little nutritional yeast, and a quick blend later, and voilà. Luxuriously smooth, lightly sweet, and totally delicious. Honestly, squash just earned a permanent spot as my go-to winter jack-of-all-trades vegetable.
To Butternut or to Not?
Did someone say versatility?
Oh, sure, I did.
Because you can pretty much use any squash that isn’t overly sweet for this sauce. I love ambercup (aka Hokkaido over here in Germany) because no peeling needed—huge win. But butternut is equally fine—just a little heads-up: you’ll want to peel that beauty first.
More Pairings for This Butternut Squash Sauce
Obviously, this makes a gorgeous pasta sauce. But this creamy goodness also loves to hang out with:
- Gnocchi (crispy fried or pillowy soft, either way practically begging to be coated in velvety butternut squash sauce).
- Roasted veggies such as carrots, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts.
And it loves to hang out in:
- Buddha bowls next to grains, fresh crunchy vegetables, avocados, and (crispy) chickpeas.
And it's more than happy to be turned into a:
- Cozy soup by thinning the sauce with as much vegetable broth as you like.
🍽 Recipe
Easy Butternut Squash Sauce (vegan)
Equipment
- Immersion blender or food processor
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Sauce
- 1 large butternut or ambercup squash (about 1 kg / 2.2 pounds)
- 1 yellow onion
- 5 tablespoons mild olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 teaspoons dry marjoram or 3-4 stems fresh marjoram
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Pasta (optional)
- 300 g of your favorite pasta
Topping (optional)
- 100 g cedar nuts, toasted (or pine nuts)
- A few sprigs of parsley (or marjoram)
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Clean the ambercup squash, cut off the ends, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into bite-sized pieces. If you're using butternut squash, peel it first before cutting it into pieces.
- Peel and roughly chop the onion. In a pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat and sauté the onion and squash until soft. If you're using dried marjoram, add it now to allow the flavor to develop.
- Once soft, puree half of the squash and onion mixture with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the nutritional yeast flakes. If you're using fresh marjoram, add it now to be blended in. Use a food processor or an immersion blender for this step. The sauce should have the consistency of soft cream. If it's too thick, add a bit of water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Season the squash sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- If serving with pasta, cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Toss the hot pasta with the squash sauce, mixing gently to coat.Serve topped with the remaining squash pieces, toasted cedar nuts (or pine nuts), fresh parsley (or marjoram), and a drizzle of olive oil.
Did you make it? What did you pair this squash sauce with?
Wishing you planty of delightfully cozy dishes,
Ramona
More Squash Delights
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