Something magical happens to pasta when you combine spaghetti with a creamy butternut sauce made with leeks, sage, garlic and Parmigiano Reggiano. You’ll swear this is full of cream and butter, but it’s not!
Spaghetti with Butternut Parmesan Sauce
It’s super easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is very filling. Perfect for Meatless Mondays, or any night of the week. You may also like this spicier Butternut Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Spinach version. And for a pasta dish made with pumpkin puree, try this Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta.
This recipe started out as a mistake, a butternut squash puree that was far too thin and liquidy. A very HAPPY mistake! Don’t you love when that happens? I decided to make it into a pasta sauce and added a ton of good quality cheese (don’t use the cheap stuff), fresh sage, garlic and leeks which are milder than onions and quite delicious. The sauce turned out savory, creamy and delicious. The best part? Tommy LOVED it and he’s not always easy to please.
Helpful Tips
- You can double the sauce and freeze the rest. Let it cool and transfer to freezer safe containers. I love these Souper Cubes (affil link) for freezing soups and sauces in portions! Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To speed this up, you can buy pre-cut and peeled butternut squash instead of doing it yourself. Here’s an easy tip for cutting and peeling butternut squash yourself.
- I used spaghetti here, but any pasta shape would work. Whole wheat of gluten-free pasta would also be great!
More Pasta Recipes You Will Love
- Brussels Sprouts Carbonara
- Lasagna Rolls
- Macaroni and Cheese Soup
- Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- One Pot Spaghetti Meat and Sauce
Spaghetti with Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp light butter
- 8 oz spaghetti of your choice, use brown rice pasta for gluten-free
- 1 cup large leek (white part only)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh shaved parmesan cheese
- 4 sage leaves, sliced thin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add butternut squash and cook until soft.
- Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.
- Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, melt the butter, sauté the leeks and garlic over medium-low heat until soft and golden, about 5 - 6 minutes.
- Add pureed butternut squash, season with with salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin out to your liking.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and sage and mix in pasta until well coated.
- Serve with additional parmesan cheese on the side.
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Photo credit: Erin Alvarez
This sauce is so tasty!! I added some chicken sausage because I had the points and I could. I have made this more times than I can count both just like the recipe and with added sausage. One of my favorite Skinnytaste recipes!
I liked this but it wasn’t really a favorite. I think it was pretty bland. The pasta with butternut squash and spicy sausage is definitely more my taste. I will probably make this again if I don’t want meat, but I’m more inclined to make the other (spicy sausage). Other than that it was very easy to make, and still a good meatless monday meal!
This sauce is AMAZING!!! Super easy to make and tastes like a gourmet sauce. So so good!
I want sure how this would go over, but I thought it was pretty good. I doubled the recipe so there would be enough for my family if give, plus some leftovers to pack up for lunch this week. I did add some garlic salt to taste, and doubled the cheese. I didn’t have any fresh sage, so added some dried to the sauce while it cooked. And topped the entire thing with an additional 1/4 cup of parmesan. My husband and oldest son who don’t like squash had no idea I had used it. The flavor was really nice.
This was absolutely delicious! I added a little bit of chicken sausage and used gluten-free pasta. I will definitely be making this again.
I’ve been reluctant to make this because my husband hates winter squash. He said he would do his best and try it. He said it was really good and got seconds. Another great recipe.
This was surprisingly delicious and satisfying on a cold winter night. Will definitely be making this again. I thought about adding a little nutmeg next time, but really didn’t miss it this time.
This was simple to make and really delicious. Will definitely make again.
YUMMMMM. The only change I made was roasting the squash. I did however make the mistake of using shredded parm…which kinda throws off the measuring of it…so it was actually too thick, but I just used all of the water to tame it down. A Keeper!
Make sure you look at the video. I did add bacon .
This was everything Gina described. The sauce was velvety and the unexpected flavor made my taste buds do a little jig. I loved how simple it was, minimal ingredients and I love that I made the sauce from scratch. Makes me happy to feed my family homemade, nutritious meals. I used brown rice lentil spaghetti noodles gluten free even tho we don’t require gluten free, delicious!
This made for a very tasty and rich tasting sauce … that wasn’t rich! I cooked the whole squash in the Instant Pot and then puréed it for the sauce. For me that’s much safer than trying to peel and chop a squash. Reading through the comments I added 4 slices of crispy double smoked bacon and a pinch of pepper flakes. It was delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Loved this dish! Crumbled some crispy proscuitto!
This was a hit! I bought pre-cut butternut squash and boiled it (and the pasta) in vegetable broth. I also added pre-cooked chicken breast at the end for some extra protein. So good and autumnal 🙂
This was amazing!! I spiced it up a bit with Cajun seasoning since we like our food on the spicy side. But it was delicious as is. My first time cooking with leeks. Definitely a keeper!!
This was amazing!! I spiced it up a bit with Cajun seasoning since we like our food on the spicy side. But it was delicious as is. My first time cooking with leeks. Definitely a keeper!!
I really was hoping this would be better. As some other reviews have said I found this a little bland even after adding extra salt and Italian seasoning to add a little more punch. It wasn’t inedible by any means, it was just fine in my opinion. One of kids definitely gobbled it up so it wasn’t terrible obviously!
Do you think this would work with zoodles?
Simple and delicious
Very good recipe. I felt it needed a fair bit of salt, but I always think that with squash recipes and I am a sodium junkie.
We will definitely be making again
Can you do spaghetti squash with this instead of spaghetti noodles?
If you wish!
8-year-old and I loved healthy buttery yummy dinner. Gave it an A. Followed almost exactly. We used olive oil instead of light butter, grated parm instead of shaved. We steamed our squash for 20 min. to maintain nutrients. Make sure to save that pasta cooking water for thinning. We also pureed the leeks. One teen said too grainy but gave it a B+ for flavor. Husband and other teen gave it a B-.
I roasted the squash and threw in a handful of roasted pine nuts. It gave it a more complex flavor. Wonderful recipe. Thanks.
This looked so good! When I made it, however, I found it bland. To try to pump up the flavor, I doubled the garlic and the sage. I used really good quality pecorino romano instead of parmesan, so I don’t think that was the issue. I’ll move onto a new recipe.
Delish!!
We added to leeks because I thought it said 1 leek and not 1 cup of leeks. Probably had half a cup.
Served with chicken parmesan sausage from Fresh Thyme and used whole wheat pasta and a huge hit and will make again.
I enjoyed this and want to thank you for a creamy pasta. I gave it 4/5 stars because it was less flavorful (I kept adding a little more salt to get some flavor), I couldn’t really taste the sage, and honestly it was gooey. I used whole wheat pasta, don’t know if that was why. I used the entire 1 cup of pasta water and it seemed like it just kept drying out before my eyes. Trust me, I ate the entire generous portion and I look forward to the leftovers. Hubby liked it too.
This was SO good! My husband cleaned his plate and is very dubious of vegetables! A keeper for sure!
Awesome!
So delicious, I am amazed at your talent. Love, love, love.
Thank you!
Did the points on this change? I have printout of the recipe from September that has it at 8 points for blue.
Not sure?
Way more yummy than expected. The sage really liked it all together.
Just finished this dish, and wow! Hits the spot ! Fresh squash comfort food! I used the butternut soup from the weekly planner as the starter for this It’s 46 degrees outside and raining, and I am comfy with my dinner!
Hi Gina!
As always, thank you for posting these awesome recipes! I have loved them all.
Do you know what the Smart Points would be on the Green plan?
Thank you in advance!
-Katrina
I will check and update!
This was fantastic! I love garlic and onions so I added more, and also added a pinch of red pepper flakes!! So good!!
Admittedly, I had low expectations for this. My family isn’t into winter squashes and I thought they would turn their noses up and I’d have four meals of this for the week. But they always enjoy Skinnytaste recipes so I gave it a go. Another thumbs up! It wasn’t their favorite of all time but they liked it and would eat it again. It doesn’t make the butternut too squashy – really nice and delicate flavors so you can add extra veg/protein and it will all go well together. It has few ingredients and is easy enough for a weeknight. I also appreciated that it has a creamy texture without fat – it was filling but I didn’t feel sluggish for the rest of the day. I added a few handfuls of spinach for color/vitamins and served with grilled fish. Sleeper recipe of the week!
We loved this and it’s definitely going into the regular rotation! The sauce is amazing and hard to believe it’s almost all vegetables!
The butternut squash made for a really nice sauce. I was surprised because I don’t always like butternut squash dishes, but I’ll be adding this recipe to my regular fall meal rotation. I followed another reader’s advice to cook the pasta in chicken broth. Next time I’ll use the pasta as a base with chicken, shrimp, or veggies.
Even my squash-hating husband liked this! I think I had more squash than a 1lb as my sauce was thicker. I also added about a teaspoon of chicken bouillon paste as well to add a bit more flavor. This was very good and a great way to eat veggies!
Oh my god. This is spectacular! I could eat the sauce with a spoon. Thank you!!
In a pinch, could canned butternut squash purée be used? How much of it would I use? Thanks, just love your site and fantastic recipes!
Sure but I would be guessing the amount.
Super delicious. I used onion rather than leek and parsley rather than sage bc that is all I had.
I was going to do the same tonight because we don’t have leaks or sage. Hoping it turns out as tasty as the called for version!
Sorry, this is a no for our family based on reviews of an 18 and 16 year old . It is not cheesy tasting; tastes like butternut squash which I happen to love but my kids do not . And I even added an extra 1/4 cup of the cheese. 🙁
Super delicious! Decided to roast the butternut squash to get a little more flavor and some toasted garlic bread crumbs to the top.. My husband said “How is this healthy with all the cheese you must have put in it?!” He thought it was a cheese sauce…he was shocked when I told him it was mostly squash with just 1/4 c of parm! Big win for tonight!
Great recipe! We don’t eat pasta often, and it was nice to try a different kind of sauce. We love butternut squash, and this was a great new way to eat it! My sauce turned out thick, even with adding water, which was fine with us!
This is very good with a subtle flavor. We will definitely be making this again. It was super easy to make since we used pre-cut butternut squash from our produce section. I does like a good amount of pepper and pasta water.
By the way, I got this recipe from the meal plan! I totally use it every week! I imagine it’s a time suck for you to do, but I do LOVE that you do that!
Soooo, I LOVE me some roasted butternut squash. So that’s what I did. I sprayed olive oil over the squash before roasting to try to keep the points down. This is SO. GOOD! Def a keeper. So rich and creamy! Thank you, Gina! You really up my game!
To quote the young’uns: “Mom, that pasta stuff low key slaps”. They ate it all, so I guess they like it!
I added some turkey sausage, too.
Lol! Glad they enjoyed it!
I wanted to like this so bad as I love all winter squash varietals. It wasn’t horrible or the worst meal I’ve ever made or ate, but it was lacking some depth/dimension in the overall dish. I rarely eat pasta and purchased some fresh made pasta too! I am a huge Skinnytaste lover but won’t be making this particular dish again.
I’m a huge fan of Skinnytaste, pasta, butternut squash and leeks, but for some reason I didn’t like this. I squeezed lemon juice over it and I think the brightness of that helped. Spaghetti sauce is sweet but also tangy. I made a triple recipe so I think I will love this as a soup with chicken stock added to it.
Has anyone tried the sauce over spag squash instead of regular pasta?
I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this recipe yet! We make this all the time and it is a HIT. Seriously one of the creamiest, yummiest most decadent pasta dishes I’ve ever made. And not like, good for being healthier. Good period. SOOOO good! THANK YOU FOR THIS! we’ll continue making it for years.
I almost never leave comments or rate recipes, but I was so pleased with this! My 4 and 6 year old girls had several helpings! We will definitely be adding this to our regular rotation!
This looked so wonderful that I ended up making it the same day Gina posted it. The only change I made was adding some white wine to the leeks as I felt the dish could have used some acidity. Turned out great! Would definitely make again
Okay, I was skeptical only because I’m not very unadventurous with different recipes but this was delish! I added a little regular onion but this really surprised me!! Thanks so much for a new recipe and the introduction to a few new vegetables into my diet!
Definitely will make this again! So yummy!
Wow ! What a great use for BN squash. This made for a lovely dinner served with a dinner salad. I add a bit more garlic and used a shallot instead of a leek. This was easy to Mae, particularly if you buy cubed peeled squash.
How did you come up with 8 FS points for Spahgettiwith leek Parmesan sauce. I can only come up with 4FS points. Thank you
Made this last night and it was so delicious and pretty easy. Great different use of butternut squash and the leek flavor worked so well with it. We used quinoa spaghetti and added some grilled chicken. We will make again!
Do these nutrition facts account for the pasta.m, or sauce only?
Both, everything listed in the ingredients always!
SKINNYTASTE IS LITERALLY THE BEST. Love hearing about all of their new recipes , I also came across this other website with a KETO diet plan that sold me !! Go see http://pages.today/keto9
So good!
This is a favorite and glad to be reminded of it again to make it. I adore all winter squash. I roasted a pound of butternut in the skin ( halved and seeds removed) and then put it in the blender, It needed a bit of broth to get it going,, probably because I roasted it rather the steamed it. I had a bunch of leeks so used them all, which was more then called for but didn’t effect end product. I ended up adding a bit more water and broth to get the sauce to the consistency I wanted, I skipped the butter and cheese and we still love it. I had some garlic lemon steamed shrimp and broccolini with it, Would make a great holiday vegetarian dish too. I use a low carb swap for the pasta, but do pasta for husband.
This looks tasty! Do you know about how much puree you end up with? I would love to sub frozen pureed squash for the fresh butternut because in my experience it often tastes better (and is so much easier).
Another tip for the lazy – if you are going to puree it anyway, I think it is easier to leave squash unpeeled, cut in half and roast it, and then scoop out the flesh and puree that.
I love mixing spiralized veggies, like zucchini (or butter nut squash spirals in this case) into my pasta, so It feels like I am eating a bigger portion. I’m a hog that way, but am losing weight🙂
Hi! Love your recipes!! I am trying to be vegan and this recipe looks awesome!. What would you recommend to use other than the cheese? Can I just omit it?
I know many vegans use nutritional yeast in place of parmesan!
I love the idea of using leeks for a pasta sauce! I need to try this!
I love this I feel like I’m eating pasta but without all the carbs! Thanks, skinny taste love your recipes!
I live the butternut squash sauce ! Maybe I can put in a cup and drink it lol
I have an acorn squash. What do you think about using it instead?
Haven’t tried it!
This was delicious! I decided to roast my squash but would definitely boil it next time! Great recipe!
Is it really 11 Cups of chopped leeks ?
No, just one. Thank you, just fixed this.
I had to come back years after discovering this one just to say how incredibly delicious it is. It seems so elegant as well, so it’s great for company!
I’ve never left a review for a recipe in my life but I felt like I had no choice here. This is the best recipe I’ve ever made from SkinnyTaste [and I LOVE Skinnytaste…] and maybe some of the best pasta I’ve made EVER. So rich and creamy despite having no cream at all. It tastes like a luxury meal and it’s still pretty good for you! Will definitely be making this regularly. Thank you for this recipe!!!!
I totally botched this recipe and it turned into this really heavy stew like dish. But, although I failed on execution, it was still incredibly tasty!
I just finished making a very large batch (recipe x 4 for a 4lb squash). Approx. 9 cups of sauce frozen for future quick meals. It’s the second time I’ve made this, and it froze wonderfully. The first time. My husband was excited to hear I was making it again today. All I have to do is cook noodles, heat up the sauce, and add the parmesan cheese. I thank you for your accidental recipe. It’s wonderful!
Oh I god this was so good my husband even likes it
Could you make this with fresh pumpkin instead? I have a freezer full of cooked down pumpkin and I’ve been looking for something to make with it other than pie and other desserts.
Do you happen to know how many points the sauce is, without the pasta?
I made this tonight and loved it! I put some of Costco’s Italian meatballs in with the pasta (they are pre-cooked) to heat them up as my husband isn’t into meatless meals. I loved it! My husband is more into the traditional tomato-based pasta sauces so he didn’t like it. I’m the opposite – the only way I can eat the tomato based sauces are with meat and cheese.. In my opinion it was excellent and I will make for myself again.
I replaced the sage with rosemary (personal preference), cut the pasta in half, and replaced with zoodles. Yum!
It's interesting how much tastes vary! I made this for myself while my parents were out because they don't eat squash, which I love. Based on others reviews, though, I was expecting it to be even better than it was. It was good, but if I make it again, I will add more parm ( which I grated fresh) and try the chicken stock suggestion. The TJ precut squash and pre- leaned leeks were a big time saver, but it was still pretty prep intensive. All in all, a satisfying comfort food dish for a cold drizzly night like tonight.
After a string of trying several new recipes that were mediocre at best, I am so happy to say this will go into my regular rotation! My kids won't eat it, but they are ridiculously picky. Hubby liked it, so I call it a win. So creamy and "cheesy." Great way to eat squash! You always amaze.
Wow! I made this for myself on spaghetti night. I'm a vegan in a house full of meat eaters. The first night I had it with spaghetti, using vegan butter and omitting the parm. The next night I thinned it out with vegetable broth and added a splash of almond milk and some cayenne pepper for a soup. OMGosh so so good! Great recipe!!
I was wondering if you had any suggestions for making this vegan? I would guess substituting olive oil for the butter, but not sure what to exchange for the parm. Nutritional yeast?
Do u think u could substitute quinoa for the pasta? Or would that not work?
This says 1lb butternut squash – do you know how many cups of purée that was? I have a whole squash and am hoping to use it to make a couple of recipes! Thanks!
This was such an easy and delicious meal! I made it as directed the first time with GF noodles for my husband and I and we could barely stop eating it. The second time I made it with onions instead of leeks since I didn't have any on hand and us and our guests loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
I wanted to make this using my own frozen squash puree. About how much puree does a 1lb squash make?
Don't know off hand.
Not my favorite (the one with sausage is a better choice in my opinion) but still tasty!
I took others advice and added a small spoon of chicken better than bullion to the sauce, and a pinch of red pepper and that added a good amount of flavor.
I made this last night, and it was AMAZING! Even my husband (who is a major carnivore) loved it and said it was the best recipe I had made from Pinterest yet! I also think grilled chicken or seared scallops would be yummy on top of the pasta if you did want to add some meat.
I made this tonight and loved it. It was very filling yet did not sit heavy on my stomach as most pasta. The dish was a little to sophisticated for my kids taste however and I had to add half a jar of spaghetti sauce and some monterey jack cheese to theirs in order for them to eat it.
This was so great. I also added some Shrimp! Delish!
Looks awesome, can't wait to try! I love using Trader Joes already cut squash,it makes prep time quick! I've never used leeks before,is it similar to onion flavor?
Made this tonight and it was delicious!
Finally got a chance to make this. It was wonderful! The only change I would make next time is chop the sage smaller and add it to the squash while blending for more even distribution. While it sits waiting for the next step, the sage flavor would be more infused into the puree.
So currently I have a broken hand and my husband of 50-something years old is learning to cook with direction from me. Tonight my husband successfully made this dish it was fantastic. I had pureed pumpkin from a pumpkin I cooked down last year. Worked great! Tasted great! In a pinch you could use canned pureed pumpkin.
I loved this and cant wait to make it, I was think about using Zucchini for the noodles??? Trying to stay away from pasta to!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! I made this a few weeks ago and again today!! I really think this is my favorite squash pasta recipe! It is filling and SOOO flavorful!! I don't know how anyone can say anything bad about this recipe 🙂
xoxo,
Shio
Could you use Spaghetti Squash to lower the calories? My husband and I are trying to stay away from Pasta.
Sure!
We really enjoyed this (surprisingly – since hubby doesn't like "strange" veggies). His only problem was that it was meat free, so I guess next time we will try some shrimp (and mushrooms!). My mom is excited about a lactose free creamy pasta. Thanks so much!
Sausage is great
Wow this looks amazing home run. Can't wait to try it!!!! Pasta heaven
Gina, I LOVE every recipe that I have tried, but this one is my favorite! It is the creamy pasta I crave, with so much flavor! I bought pre-cut butternut squash from Whole Foods, which cut down on some of the prep time. The only adjustment I made was to use 1/4 c. grated parmesan, stirring 2 tbsp. into the sauce then sprinkling the remainder on top.
My 9 month old also adores this–I cut up the pasta very small and pureed a bit.
I made this with what I had on hand being dried sage and an acorn squash. It turned out amazing! Your recipes are not only awesome but versatile!
Made this tonight! Tasty good!
I made this the other night. It was so easy and delicious. I love butternut squash and was so happy to try this. I think next time I'll thin out the sauce a little more than I did and use chicken stock to add more flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
We didn't care much for this. It was improved by using feta cheese instead of parmesan. But won't be making again.
Do you think acorn squash would work instead of butternut? If yes, how many acorn squash should I use?
I think you can, but butternut is better.
I actually didn't have butternut so I used acorn squash and it still turned out yummy!
I made this the other night and it was so delicious! I couldn't believe how creamy and cheesy it was, like Alfredo. Definitely will make it again!
This may be a big no no,but I think would add some pancetta (maybe 4 oz) as butternut squash is a little sweet for me. I know that this would up the points but it for a special occasion it may be worth it. Thanks for the recipe. Your recipes are the ones that I give my husband to cook and they always are great.
This is so, so, so good. Have made it twice in two weeks! Only thing I changed was adding a squirt of lemon juice to cut the richness of the sauce a bi, and I had some fresh thyme on hand so I added that. Both times I made it, I ended up with extra sauce – it freezes beautifully! I can totally see making a big batch of the sauce and freezing it for a quick meal. Leftovers are also super yummy!
Oh. Em. Gee. I made this last night and it was INCREDIBLE!! I was a little wary while making it but I knew you wouldn't steer me wrong, Gina. I used fresh linguine for us and small shells for my ten month old – he ate THREE SERVINGS of it!! Fettuccine Alfredo has always been my favourite meal (fat content doesn't count when it's your favourite meal) BUT I would choose to make this instead from now on – not even considering how much healthier it is!! Hubby even suggested I make it for his mother when she's in town next week 🙂 Thanks, Gina, I'm down to my lowest weight since getting married just from using your recipes pretty much every night for the past few months!!!
I was thinking the sauce would freeze well. To make big batches and then freeze. What do you think Gina?
I think it would freeze fine!
Made this with Kuri squash. The sauce is great, but when we added the pasta it became really bland. Overall, this is a great new way for us to use a favorite ingredient, but as they say on Iron Chef, this wasn't the best use of the secret ingredient.
I'm surprised you found it bland, probably just needed a little salt.
Made this tonight! Soooo Yummy!
Hmm, my sauce didn't come out as good as everyone else's….Maybe because I microwaved and then blended? Was it because I left the skin out? Any ideas, anyone?
Hi Gina, Can't wait to try this recipe! Are there any suggestions you have for adding meat to the dish? My husband needs protein. Chicken, Shrimp, Sausage? Thanks, Lauren
I have a similar recipe on here with sausage.
SO GOOD! Hands down one of my favorite meals ever!
I subbed Thyme for Sage because I had it on hand, and used an acorn squash… so a little different but it turned out PERFECT!
Thank you!!
One word. Fabulous! It actually somehow tastes like a cream sauce without all the heaviness and calories!
Definitely a keeper! I made this tonight and it was a hit … Even with the suspicious 5 year old! I sautéed the sage with the leeks and garlic, and next time I think I'll roast the squash. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
I just made this and it was surprisingly good! Definitely a keeper.
I used my acorn squash that I had on hand and roasted it instead of boiling. I also added red pepper flakes. Hubby wanted some meat so I added a bit of crumbled hot Italian sausage just to his. It was amazing! Everyone loved!
I love all your recipes, but this is one of my favorites!! Very easy to make, very tasty and very filling!!!
Hoping your power comes back on soon!!!!
I too realized that this could pass as a Mac and cheese dish and so that's how I introduced it to my kids. They loved it. The hubby and I did too. Delicious and easy. I also am grateful to one of the commenters that mentioned Trader Joe's sells sliced frozen leeks. I found them in my store and will put that great tip to future use too.
hmm, mac and cheese. something to try!
This was wonderful! I had to add about a teaspoon of salt to the sauce to bump up the flavor to where I wanted it. With a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, it was delicious! I doubled the batch because I had 2 leeks and a 2 lb butternut squash and I am looking forward to defrosting the other half of the sauce and making this again next week!
I made this last week and it was AMAZING! I am lazy, so I roasted the butternut squash and then just scraped the flesh out when it was soft. I forgot to save my pasta water, so I used low sodium chiken broth and I added cooked chicken for some extra protein. I'm definitely going to try it with spaghetti squash for a lower carb option.
How far in advance could I make the puree do you think? I want to have this on Monday but it would be a rush after work. Can't wait to try it.
I'm sure a few days at least.
Oh my yumminess!! I cooked the leeks and garlic in some low sodium chicken stock,just to boost the flavor a bit. AMazing, THanks!
I forgot to add I didn't have sage so I used marjoram. It still tasted delicious!
Loved the recipe! Made it tonight and the kids loved it too! Next time I will double it for left overs 🙂
LOVED this. I made it and my picky 14 year old thought it was alfredo sauce. He ate 80% of the batch! I added a bit more cheese than called for because I love cheese and I used dried rubbed sage because I had no fresh sage and it turned out great. This will be made many, many times in my house this fall! So amazing!
As I was making this, I realized it could kinda be like a "mac and cheese" for my kids. I used a fiber-filled mini shell pasta and made sure there was plenty of cheese in it. It even looks like mac and cheese! I will update after I attempt to feed it to them for dinner (they're 3.5 yrs and almost 2 years old). Despite what they think about it, I will definitely be eating it for dinner! Thanks, Gina!
Success! I got my 3.5 year old to eat his entire portion and the almost-2-year-old would eat it when I fed it to him. 🙂
OMG Gina! This was to die for!!!! The flavor combinations were amazing!! I used brown rice pasta and I only had cheap parmesan. . .I can't even imagine what this would be with the good stuff. It was my first time cooking with leeks and sage. Thank you for inspiring me!
Gina- this dish was amazing! I'm not a huge butternut squash fan but this combo is so creamy with out any cream. My husband and I had this tonight and will be making it again soon. Thank you for all your work and hope you and your family are safe and dry from Sandy.
I made this last night and it was so yummy! I thought it would be good but it was one of the best pastas i've ever made and the family gave it rave reviews!
Great recipe! Roasting the squash works great for sauces as well and it retains more flavor too.
Gina, all your recipes are so spot on. I made this for dinner tonight and will have left-overs for lunch for a few days. It is delicious! Thank you!
Yummy! I added some pancetta for the hubby and as usual – we both think it's a keeper 🙂
Gina: I made this today. It was wonderful. I opted to go for the pre-cut squash. At 1.99 a lb for already cut and cubed it was ell worth it. As others mentioned, the sauce alone is delicious. May try it with a risotto or over some grits.
Nancy
Does this freeze ok?
Just made this tonight!!! It was AWESOME!! Super easy too! Im working on becoming a vegetarian and this is a perfect recipe! Thanks Gina!!
@anonymous, re: boiling the squash – I think it took about 15 or so minutes for me.
HOME RUN GINA! Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic. I used about 2 tsp of rubbed sage b/c I didn't want to buy fresh just for this. We've enjoyed many of your recipes (in fact turkey meatloaf cupcakes are on the menu for tomorrow) and this is among your best. Well done, and thank you!
Hi Gina,
About how long does it take to boil the squash? Trying to plan my meal timing 🙂 Thanks!
This was soooooooooooo good!!!
I saw this recipe, knew I would never like it, but tried it because I wanted to make something different for dinner. This was delicious! The only complaint came from the husband because he likes very thin (to me, runny) sauce on his pasta but I see that someone else used buttermilk, so I may try that to only his serving next time because the other four of us thought it was perfect. I also added some chicken sausage because my husband is not to that point where a dish can be meatless. 🙂 Wonderful!
Delish! However, when I entered the ingredients into my weight watchers etools, came out more like 10 pts plus (only difference, i used regular butter but 1 tbsp shouldn't make a 3 pt difference). Would love if you listed the brand cheese or tomato sauce you use when calculating pts for recipes.
I made this last night. My toddler and even the hubby loved it! I added some shredded chicken and used oregano instead of sage. YUM!!
I just made this without pasta but with Spaghetti squash for the "Low Carb" effect….WOW! You can't even believe how good this is! Thanks Skinnytaste…you've changed my life in the kitchen!
Oh My Lanta! So good. A accidentally used a whole leek, added some tomatillo to the puree for zing and homemade buttermilk to thin it out a bit. Amazing. I had left over sauce and took it as is for lunch. Forget the pasta, the sauce is great and filling on its own!
It was awesome! You were right, you would have sworn there was cream in it.
I made it last night, and it was amazing! Very tasty and filling. My husband even liked it, and did not ask where is the meat! I added chopped apples to it and it was crunchy, sweet and savory. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this tonight and it was amazing! Everyone loved it. I wish I had doubled the recipe. I can't say enough about it. My new favorite dish!
How long should I boil the pre cut squash for??
Oh my goodness!! This was amazing. I used Dreamfield's angel hair pasta and it was so yummy. My 4 year old and 8 year old cleaned their plate!! If there are any squash haters out there, give this recipe a try. After you do, you will salivate every time you walk by a butternut squash in the produce section of your market, guaranteed!!
Made this tonight – and it was delicious! I have leftovers for my lunch tomorrow. Did it with Ronzoni's Healthy Harvest Wholegrain Thin Spaghetti. My husband is a meat eater, but thought it was very delicious and creamy. Definitely will be having this again!
I'm going to substitute the spaghetti for spaghetti squash and see how that works…. that will take ALOT of the points + out!! I can't wait to make this !!!
My bf doesnt do meatless! does anyone have any suggestions for a meat that would go good with this? Thanks Gina for all your delicious recepis, this looks soooo good!
Bacon or pancetta. Everything tastes better with bacon! Unfortunately the point would change.
I added bacon and it was delish!
Has anyone tried this sauce with Ravioli? I have some ravioli in my freezer I need to use, and this sauce intrigues me.
This sounds wonderful! Going on the dinner menu!
Going to make this on Saturday, can't wait! Quick question, approximately how long does the squash take to cook? Thanks 🙂
I made this tonight…. it's a lot different than anything I've ever had…. but sooooooo GOOD!! A perfect fall dinner. Gina, you are one talented cookie!!
I used dried sage and it came out great! A delicious dish without a lot of fat or sodium.
Kara – I think Gina said she uses HALF the amount of fresh
This looks delicious! I love how it's creamy without using actual "cream". Yum!
Did I miss the response about subbing ground sage for the leaves? I can't find the leaves anywhere. How can I sub out the leaves?
I REALLY want to make this for next week's Meatless Monday. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I highly recommend sautéing the sage with pine nuts and adding brown sugar to the butternut squash sauce. I also use linguine noodles that I boil with vegetable bouillon to add flavor. Served with a piece of crusty bread, it is autumn heaven!
Do you think you could use carnival squash for this? Got a bunch in my co-op and have no idea what to do with it.
Thanks!!
Sure, would be great.
Gosh, Gina, this looks completely amazing!! I love butternut squash…I have to make this soon!
This looks great, Gina! Almost like a much better for you version of Giada's brown butter sage sweet potato gnocchi (you have to make the gnocchi by hand, too, and it's bland without the brown butter but a little too rich with it). This will be a nice balance and good for weeknights!
That actually sounds heavenly!
I read this recipe yesterday, had a hair cut appointment after work, ran into grocery store next door to salon and got the ingredients. Went home and made this for dinner. Delicious! It's in my lunch bag as well.
So glad you tried it and liked it!
Delicious recipe Gina- I love the pre-cut Butternut Squash from TJ's, I use it all the time to make butternut squash risotto!
For this I would probably splurge on a bit more cheese, just because lol.
I recently made a Pumpkin Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe & trust me- the extra cheese is worth it! Every now and then it's worth it to indulge 🙂
In my rush at the store yesterday I could have sworn I was picking up a spaghetti squash but I unloaded my groceries when I got home and it turns out I have a butternut squash. Well heck, what am I going to do with that!?, I thought. And then I opened my email and have a recipe from you using butternut squash!
Bingo! I'm going to give this a try this week. Thanks for preparing an idea for me. 🙂
lol, good!
I made this tonight and it was pretty good. I must confess, we are meat eaters! LOL So we thought it really needed some meat and maybe even a little spicy flavor (red pepper flakes, maybe?). I'm not sure I will make it again but it was definitely something I'm glad I tried. Thanks again!
I added bacon and zucchini and it was great!
It seems that it would be much more simple to buy frozen butternut squash that is already pureed. Not sure the taste would be affected much. It would save the step of cooking the squash and cleaning a blender. Plus you can stock the frozen squash in your freezer for a future meal, unlike fresh.
It would be so great to have a blender that wouldn't shiver at the thought of making my beloved banana soft-serve or even everyday smoothies with frozen fruit. I know that this fabulous blender would survive where others have feared to tread, or even, alas, met their demise. Burnout , begone! What a treat it would be to have this new tool to helpe on my journey to weight loss and better health.
Thank you for your creative approach to delicious and healthy eating. Although I am 73, I'm not giving up my lifelong quest to optimize my health and weight. You've been such a great help!
Sincerely,
Dot
This came at the most perfect time! I have been craving pasta, but I was planning on making a roast tomorrow so that I could roast my butternut squash at the same time. Now I can just make this instead!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! Even my husband, a dedicated carnivore, didn't complain about meatless Monday!
Thanks Abby, my husband loved it too.
Wow,looks amazing! Do you know what the point plus value of just the sauce by chance??
This will be making its way to my table very soon. You've hit so many things I adore: squash, leeks, pasta, and good cheese. And, I love the flavor combination of sage and butternut, or buttercup, squash. They really do compliment each other very well. Thanks for sharing!
Anita
theunabashedkitchenwench.blogspot.com
I tried this tonight and it was wonderful! I didn't have fresh sage and so I put dried sage in the water to cook the squash and pasta and it worked really well. It tasted great and was very filling. Thanks!
beautiful…. so glad leeks are coming back in season.
I was determined to make this tonight, and I did but since I didn't want to make a special trip to the market. I substituted in a shallot, some leftover canned pumpkin, and a sprig of rosemary, and it was just lovely! It was such a generous portion too!
I bought leeks and have homegrown butternut squash. This sounds wonderful. I'm going to make this tomorrow. Thanks so much for the delicious ideas.
Just made this tonight — thank you so much! It's so good.
I made something similar recently, but I'm too lazy to peel and chop the squash and then clean out the blender. But I had a bumper crop of Butternuts in my garden, so I had to think of something using them that my husband would eat.
So I cut a squash in half, cleaned out the seeds, and placed it cut-side down on a baking sheet. Baked in the oven till soft. Scooped out the meat of the squash and put it in a pan, thinning it with a good-size dollop of greek yogurt and some chicken broth and some of the pasta water, till it was the consistency I wanted. Then came the seasoning and adding in the cooked pasta and adding fresh-grated parmesan.
Next time I'll follow Gina's recipe (because everything she makes is stellar!) except that I'll still bake the squash instead of making the blender puree.
I don't like boiling any of my veggies and squash is wonderful baked and scooped from the skin. Great recipe aside from that. I may even lightly toast the seeds and chop them for an extra crunch!
Gina – This looks delicious! What would the points plus value be just for the sauce without the pasta?
four servings at 2 points+ each
Every time I meet with BN squash, a mistake ensues. lol. This looks far better than any of my mistakes though!!
I know it says 1/4 of recipe as a serving size but approximately how much is that?
I forget to measure the total in cups (didn't think it would be so good quite honestly), so it's basically dividing the pasta in 4 equal portions.
This looks fantastic. Can't get ziplist to come up, but can't wait to try this.
oh good I was able to add now. I love that you are linked in with ziplist. such a neat feature!
I bought a butternut squash yesterday and had no idea what I would do with it.. Then I came across this recipe! Love the flavor combo of sage & parmesan!
I wonder if we could use spaghetti squash for the pasta…
Wouldn't that be amazing?
That's what I plan to do this evening for dinner, a I had some spaghetti squash leftover from the other day! I am sure it will be so good with this butternut squash sauce over it!
I'm making this tonight! I love butternut squash… but have only roasted it… love your recipes Gina! You're making my weightloss journey that much easier! Much love <3
I just bought a Butternut Squash just the other day at Sunflower Market. I am so glad I came across this post because now I know what I will do with it. Thanks so much for the idea!!!
Looks delish, as always!! I had your crockpot chicken taco chili for lunch! DELISH! Thanks for sharing so many hours of your life with us!
What can be used to replace the leeks? Green onions, maybe? I like leeks but don't usually have them on hand.
I just used a cup of chopped onions and it turned delish…
Trader Joe's sells clean frozen chopped leeks. I always keep an extra bag in the freezer 🙂
That's a great idea…..love Trader Joes!!
Could I use dried sage if I don't have the leaves? (And how much would u suggest?) just made your butternut squash soup and my husband & I loved it! 🙂
Sure, I usually do half of what fresh would be.
harika bir tarif. tebrik ediyorum.
This looks so good. I have a favorite Butternut Squash and Leek Soup (modified slightly from a Food and Wine recipe)so I already know I love this flavor combination. Now to figure out when I can make this…
Now I know what I am having for dinner tonight. Looks delish!
I definitely will do this one. Yummy!
This looks fantastic! Do you think I could use acorn squash in place of the butternut? There were 4 acorn squash in my co-op basket this week!