This smooth and creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce is easy to make with minimal ingredients, like roasted butternut squash, onions, and herbs. Pour it over cooked pasta noodles for comforting fall family dinners!
Looking for more butternut squash recipes? You’ll also love my Butternut Squash Lasagna, Butternut Squash Soup and Butternut Squash Curry recipes.
In this Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce recipe, the roasted winter squash blends seamlessly with cashews and simple seasonings to transform into a rich, creamy, and dreamy sauce. Pour it over the cooked pasta noodles of your choice and dig in!
Even if you’re not the world’s biggest fan of butternut squash, you’ll still love this recipe. Kids, adults, and picky eaters have no problem gobbling it up.
Why you’ll love this butternut squash pasta sauce
- The perfect easy dinner for fall – Making this butternut squash sauce is foolproof and tastes like autumn in a bowl!
- A twist on a classic comfort food – The roasted squash gives the pasta sauce sweet and rich undertones, plus a boost of vitamin C, fiber, and a ton of other vitamins and minerals.
- Quick and simple – This easy fall dinner is ready in under an hour. Make it even easier with pre-chopped squash!
How to make butternut squash pasta sauce
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Roast the butternut squash cubes and onions for 35-45 minutes, until fork tender and golden brown in some spots.
To make things even easier, use store-bought pre-chopped cubes of butternut squash. They’re usually available during fall and winter in most major grocery stores.
Next, cook your pasta of choice in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and add the noodles back into the empty pot (or use another pan/pot).
Add all the other sauce ingredients along with the roasted vegetables to a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the butternut squash sauce over the cooked noodles in the pot. Over low-medium heat, stir until the sauce thickens and the noodles are evenly coated.
Frequently asked questions
Dump the al dente pasta into a baking dish, pour the sauce over top, and toss to coat. You can top it with the breadcrumb topping from my Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese recipe before baking it at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
One 16-ounce can of pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree works just as well as the squash here.
Yes, slivered raw almonds can be used instead of cashews. For a nut-free option, replace 1/2 cup of the water in the recipe with 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk, or omit the nuts from the sauce entirely.
Yes, you can blend the sauce as normal and pour it into airtight containers. It will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
The sauce freezes really well! To freeze, pour it into a freezer-safe airtight container (leaving an inch of space at the top) and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat it from frozen on the stove or in the microwave.
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
- 4 cups chopped butternut squash about 1 medium-large squash
- 1 small sweet onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in boiling hot water for 5 minutes
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast optional
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
For Serving
- 12 ounces pasta of choice
- roasted broccolini or other vegetable
- sliced sun dried tomatoes or tempeh bacon
- shaved parmesan I used Violife non-dairy
Instructions
- Prepare – Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and get out a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast butternut squash and onions – Place the chopped squash and onions on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss right in the pan to coat with oil, then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 35-45 minutes, until the squash is fork tender and golden brown in some places.
- Cook the pasta – Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside while you blend the sauce.
- Blend the sauce – In a high powered blender, add the roasted squash and onions and all other sauce ingredients. Blend until very smooth.
- To finish – Add the drained pasta back to the pot it cooked in, and pour in the sauce. Stir over low-medium heat until it warms throughout. Serve immediately, perhaps with a side of roasted broccolini, sun dried tomatoes or some shaved parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can also use canned butternut squash puree, or replace it with pumpkin! You will need 16 ounces (1 can) to replace the fresh squash.
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free pasta.
- Cashew allergy? Substitute slivered raw almonds, or for a nut free option use 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk for 1/2 cup of the water called for, and leave the nuts out entirely.
- Make this easier by purchasing pre-chopped butternut squash! I find it at Costco, Trader Joe’s and many other grocery stores.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in February of 2018 and has been updated October 2024. The new version is quite a bit different than the original recipe.
Son and I love this! It is a staple in our cooking :)))
That’s wonderful to hear, Isa! Thank you for your review 🙂
Delicious! My teenage son loved it. I added a teaspoon of white miso and subbed broth for the water.
I’m so glad the Mac and cheese was a hit with your son! Thank you for sharing your great feedback!
Hi! I love this sauce, so creamy and filling. I like it on roasted potatoes and veggies too. It makes a lot though, and unfortunately my kids aren’t fans. I was wondering how long (how many days) do you think it would last? Thanks!
I think it will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, but you can also freeze it. Maybe in smaller portions so you can take some out whenever a craving strikes. 🙂 I’m glad you are enjoying it!
This was a good flavor but next time I’ll definitely leave out the cornstarch. The end result of the sauce had a slightly starchy texture I didn’t like. If it doesn’t seem thick enough maybe I’ll try adding flour instead. I also cooked both the squash and the cashews in the instant pot with a couple cloves of garlic
Hi i made this today and was very surprised! I converted to wfpb on dec 26 2020. I love cheese. It’s been my only real “cheat” knock on wood. I’ve tried several different Mac and cheeses and not really enjoyed them. This one however was delicious! I had seconds and my 86 year old very picky eater mom ate her whole serving. I did not add cornstarch and only added 1 cup of water but it was very good and will definitely make it again. I topped it with diced plum tomatoes and fresh ground pepper. I’m really impressed
Hi Janette. I am thrilled that you’ve discovered my Mac and cheese, and that you love it! Thank you for sharing your review! I hope you will explore my other ‘cheesy’ recipes!
This was absolutely delicious! I added just a little bit of paprika to it.
Can I use frozen butternut squash, thawed of course?
Yes, that works.
Could you use peanuts instead of cashews?
I’m not sure, it will probably have a very peanutty flavor if you do. Might work though!
Nora,
This is fantastic! My first time trying one of your recipes. I made it exactly how you had it posted. The flavors are amazing! I’m looking forward to trying out many of your other recipes. Thank you!
David Noel
You’re so welcome!
Wow! Honestly I was caught off guard by how simple and quick it is to make. It tasted amazing. I added some chives and nutmeg as a garnish and it was perfect 🙂 thanks Nora
You’re welcome!
This is very easy to make and my husband and I enjoyed it. I added curry powder for a little extra flavor ?
I love this recipe, Nora. Thank you for creating/tweaking/posting it. No, it’s not cheese BUT it’s great in its own right! Savory, filling, easy-peasy, tasty and good for you, super quick
( this from a slug of a cook who can’t be bothered it it takes longer than 1/2 an hour)…Fantastic
Can you freeze the leftover sauce?
Yes, you can. It freezes well!
Wow. I have made so many different vegan mac and cheese recipes and this one might be my favorite. Despite being cheesy it’s so light that you can’t help but want to keep eating more. I might add some paprika next time to give it a bit more flavor but otherwise it’s pretty much perfect as is.
Thank so much!! So glad you liked it!
Nora, you are a genius! I just made this and I love it! Easy to make and tastes surprisingly really good! Can’t wait to share it with family and friends! Thank you
You’re so welcome!
This is SO good! What a delicious, comforting dish!! Thanks for another Fantastic wfpb no oil recipe!
You’re welcome! So glad it was good!
Would it be possible to use sweet potato instead of squash? I am looking for a sweet potato Mac and cheese recipe and thought this one might work perfectly!
Yes, I think that would work perfectly. Thanks!
I don’t have a squash right now. Could I use canned pumpkin instead?
Yes that would work.
Loved it! Even my kids liked it so that’s a 5 star to me.
THIS IS DELISH!! THANK YOU! I never was a fan of Mac n cheese, always made me feel yucky!!
this is so good and simple!! like so many of your recipes
I wonder if it changes something to soak the cashews overnight?
Because this recipe seems delicious!
It wouldn’t change anything, other than making the sauce easier to blend and get smooth! I’ve found with my Vitamix blender I don’t really need to soak the cashews for this recipe, especially because the squash is usually hot when I blend it all together. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Very good. I used almond milk plain instead of water and replaced one tablespoon of cornstarch for flour…excellent!
So glad to hear it Angie! Thanks for sharing.
Yummiest creamiest vegan mac n cheese. Added a little pepper and baco bits and red pepper flakes for spice mixed in frozen peas.
Really good.
is that 2 cups of water for cooking the squash or part of the ” other ingredients” that go into the blender?
It is part of the other ingredients that go in the blender.
Are the cashews crucial? I want to make this but my boyfriend is allergic to nuts!
You could leave them out, no problem! The sauce just won’t be quite so creamy.