What says fall more than pumpkins? Roasted and pureed into a velvety sauce, this vegetarian butternut squash spaghetti recipe is the perfect weeknight meal. We recommend doubling (or even tripling) the sauce recipe and freezing it to have some readily available whenever you’re in need of a warming fall meal. 

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPAGHETTI

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

▢ 2 tbsp butter
▢ 1 tbsp Heritage Blend EVOO
▢ 1 butternut squash, skinned, seeded and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
▢ 1 shallot, roughly chopped 
▢ 4 cloves garlic, peeled
▢ 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
▢ 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
▢ 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
▢ Pinch Chili Pepper Flakes
▢ Salt & Pepper
▢ 1/2 lb Spaghetti
▢ 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped (optional)
▢ 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the squash, shallot and garlic in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast until tender and browned, roughly 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt. Add the Spaghetti and cook until al dente, roughly 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. 
3. Meanwhile, add the butter to a saucepan over low heat and melt. The goal here is to brown the butter, but not burn it. Carefully watch the butter and remove from heat when it begins to smell nutty and looks lightly browned. Add the sage leaves, thyme leaves, and lemon juice and stir together. 
4. Place the roasted squash, onion, garlic, browned butter and herbs into a blender with a pinch of chili pepper flakes, ¼ cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a splash of pasta water. Blend until smooth. If the blender requires a touch more liquid, you can add another splash of pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 
5. Place a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot over medium heat and add the cooked Spaghetti and butternut squash sauce. Stir to combine, tossing continuously until the noodles are covered in the velvety sauce. Serve immediately with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a handful of chopped roasted hazelnuts. 
6. Mangiamo.