Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta
My favorite fall/winter pasta recipe! Loaded with sautéed butternut squash, thyme + sage. It’s also almost too easy to make!
I’ll let you in on a secret.
I’ve been secretly switching off between this pasta and this brown butter mushroom pasta.
I call it the wedding diet done right.
Because for me, the wedding diet should consist of a ton of butter, freshly toasted breadcrumbs and shaved Parmesan. No?
I also threw in some butternut squash, thyme, and sage, making it the perfect fall/winter meal.
Not to mention, we all get bonus points when adding more Parmesan flakes than what the recipe states.
Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta
My favorite fall/winter pasta! Loaded with sautéed butternut squash, thyme + sage. It's also almost too easy to make!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh French style breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups 10 ounces diced butternut squash
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until browned and toasted, about 3-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add butternut squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 6-8 minutes; set aside.
- Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the skillet over low heat, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the butter starts to foam. Add garlic, thyme and sage to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in pasta and butternut squash until well combined.
- Serve immediately, topped with breadcrumbs, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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So delicious- perfect for a Sunday hot lunch where I didn’t want to have meat thawed and a large squash I didn’t want wasted!!! The flavors are fabulous. Damn delicious once again!
This is really delicious, but I am wondering if it would translate well being made into a casserole for taking to a potluck dinner. Maybe a different type of pasta??
Simple but it really is a comfort food especially when Thanksgivings is around the corner. I would also recommend using homemade fresh pasta to spice up the flavor and texture!
Very good, I layered the squash and the pasta. The bread crumbs did provide a surprise crunch in every mouthful. Yes, I’ll probably make this again.
So good! I added two large handfuls of fresh spinach to the butter and sage, garlic, thyme stage.
The family loved it!
Excellent! I used different breadcrumbs && would agree that they added a nice crunch to it. I would add something for a bit of spicy and a leafy green next time.
Absolutely delicious!! Thanks, you made my day. There nothing like a great Saturday!!
Literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten (And I eat a LOT). I make it with Tasty’s homemade pasta recipe (and cut the pasta thick), and I truly dream about this dish. I also roast the butternut squash first and then mix in the brown butter mixture and those caramelized chunks of sugary butternut are to die for. Don’t skip the bread crumbs! The crunch is so great. 10/10 recommend every time.
10/10! And so quick! I used a bag of frozen root veggies instead and it was amazing!! Texture salt and creamy, yum!
This recipe is insanely delicious and really easy to make. I don’t really love butternut squash, but wanted to try cooking with it again to see if I could come to like it. After this dish, I’m majorly in love with this veg!
this was DAMN DELICIOUS – a real autumn recipe to make you feel cozy. So easy and quick to make, definitely making it again.
This was really good! However, I added chopped onion and sautéed it in the butter before adding the herbs. I also added half a package of fresh baby spinach and folded it in until it wilted a little. Better flavor, nice eye appeal. I might added toasted pecans the next time I make it.
This was delicious. I added some goat cheese crumbles and give it a A+! Thanks!
Have done all kinds of butternut squash recipes, Family loved this one. No bread crumbs, used panko, wow great recipe. Yum cant wait to make again.
I only had dried herbs so I subbed at 1/3 the amount. The recipe tastes fine but the amount of toasted breadcrumbs is overkill for a topping. This is more like a struggle meal than anything else and doesn’t really warrant a recipe in my opinion. I won’t be making it again. It made an okay quickie toddler dinner but the baby didn’t approve of it. Oh well.
Loved the flavors in this recipe and will definitely will make again! I substituted Butternut Squash Fioretti pasta, instead of spaghetti. It made a beautiful and unique presentation. Google this pasta online. They look like mini pumpkins. I did not have French style breadcrumbs, but instead browned Panko crumbs and some raw shelled pumpkin seeds that I had in the pantry. Someone else already said it and I agree ….. do not skip the browned crumb topping. My time saving tip: Costco has butternut squash already cut into cubes. This is so convenient and all I did was dice them into smaller pieces.
SO GOOD! We added some cayanne and pepper since we like a bit of spice in our food, but otherwise this was a perfect recipe. The breadcrumbs add a LOT to the dish, don’t skip them!
Next time we’re thinking of adding some onions to mix up the textures, and might roast the butternut squash to get it a bit more tender/caramelly. But the recipe as it really blew us away – thanks a bunch 🙂
I have to laugh – I missed the words “set aside”! So I added the butter and butternut to the breadcrumbs, which just kept getting darker and darker!! Lol. My husband was really gracious and said it was like a dark savory gravy. Oh my!! I’m now eating cereal! I will make sure I read the directions completely next time!
Holy smokes, this was so good. I used gluten free pasta and breadcrumbs, but followed the recipe to a T, otherwise. I think it would be perfect paired with a light salad with a vinaigrette since the brown butter is so rich. Definitely making this again to impress company. 🙂
That would be a perfect pairing for sure!
I just finished making this for my family and it was a SUCCESS. I can’t wait till my vegetarian mom comes over so I can actually have a dish to make her. Of course I made mine with chicken on the side because my boys are carnivores at heart. Once again I love your recipes Chungah!! They’re always thought out and delicious! Thank you for sharing with us
Thank you so much for your feedback!
I’m trying this tomorrow for lunch ! 😀
This was so tasty! Loved the crispy breadcrumbs served on top. I cut back on the butter a little bit and used panko breadcrumbs as it’s what I had on hand and it was still so delicious! Thank you for another great recipe!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Now this is my kind of pasta!
Hello! What are French style breadcrumbs? Thanks!
French style breadcrumbs are breadcrumbs from French bread.
Not a “review”, just a comment. Chungah, I love your recipes but sonetimes I wish you weren’t in California. It may be easy and economical for you to add fresh herbs to your recipes. We’d love to do that too, but for the past month or more we’ve had freezing temperatures and frequent snowfalls. We can buy a few “fresh” herbs, but they’re at least a week old, wilted and ready for the compost heap when they get here and prohibitively expensive.
So, please, think of us when you write up your recipes and include alternate choices. Could we use dried herbs from bottles? If so, in what quantities? I’ve got a butternut squash on my counter right now and the recipe sounds delicious. Just wish I could make it!
Janet, you can always substitute dried herbs for fresh. The ratio is typically 1:3. Easy peasy, right? 🙂
I live in Connecticut and I like to cook so I go to my local Walmart and they have small packages of fresh herbs for a 1.99. I’ve never heard of a produce section not having small quantities of herbs. I hate when people blame the person writing the recipe for their lack of knowledge. Obviously if you don’t have fresh you use dried.
I’m in Ohio, so I understand, Janet! With our 6 months of snow and cold here, it’s hard to get fresh tasting but also reasonably herbs year round here too.