Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon and Pine Nuts
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
For this pasta, I use my roasted butternut squash sauce with sage, garlic and Parmesan, made without cream. The squash sauce pairs nicely with toasted pine nuts, crispy bacon and extra Parmesan. They add plenty of savory flavor against the slightly sweet sauce.
You can make the sauce from scratch or use a batch you already have prepared. If using prepared sauce, get the toppings ready first, then warm the sauce gently while the pasta cooks. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of vegetable stock if needed. Toss the pasta with the warm sauce, add the toppings and serve.
Preparing the bacon and pine nuts
I get the bacon and pine nuts ready before cooking the pasta. If I am making the sauce from scratch, I can do this while the squash is roasting.
Pine nuts add crunchiness and pair well with the squash, pasta and bacon. Toast them in a dry skillet or frying pan, without any oil or butter. Once you add them to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir them or shake the pan regularly so they toast evenly. They can go from pale to burnt very quickly, so don’t leave them unattended. Don’t skip this step because toasting really brings out their nutty flavor.
Transfer the pine nuts to a bowl, then use the same skillet for the bacon.
Bacon works really well with this butternut squash pasta sauce. It adds saltiness, crunch and a smoky flavor. I cut it into strips and cook it for about 10 minutes, or until crisp, then transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels.
Ready-cooked bacon bits are also an option when you want something more convenient.
Putting the pasta together
I like to pair this sauce with spaghetti or tagliatelle, but that is just my personal preference. You can use anything you like, such as penne, elbow pasta or shells.
For homemade tagliatelle, you can use my homemade pasta dough recipe.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. You can cook it al dente (my preference) or until it reaches your desired softness.
Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta water. Toss the drained pasta with the warm butternut squash sauce and add a little of the reserved water if the sauce needs thinning.
I prefer sprinkling the toppings over the squash pasta rather than mixing them into the sauce. You can top the plates before serving or put the bacon, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and parsley in separate bowls so everyone can help themselves.
There is already Parmesan in the sauce, but I like adding some more over the finished pasta. The parsley does not go into the cooked sauce either. It is sprinkled over the pasta at the end, which is why I would not substitute dried parsley here.
Possible variations
- Add red chili flakes for a little heat.
- Use pancetta instead of bacon.
- Try roasting mushrooms, such as portobello, brown (cremini) or white button mushrooms, and add them to the toppings.
The butternut squash pasta sauce is tasty on its own, but these toppings bring it to a whole new level.
Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
Butternut squash pasta sauce
- 2 pounds butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil see note 1
- 1 medium white onion or yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons real butter see note 2
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ¼ cup Parmesan finely grated, see note 3
- salt to taste, see note 4
- black pepper to taste
Pasta
- 14 ounces dry pasta of your choice
- 3 to 4 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon salt
Toppings
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan see note 3
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 7 ounces bacon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
Start the butternut squash sauce
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers.
- Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until soft. Pierce it through the skin with a fork. If the fork goes through easily, it is ready. You can also carefully turn it over and test the flesh directly. If you find any hard areas, roast it a little longer.
- While the squash is roasting, heat the olive oil in a skillet or medium pot. Add the onion, dried sage, butter and pressed garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onion is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Prepare the toppings
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan regularly. They can go from pale to burnt very quickly, so don’t leave them unattended. Transfer them to a bowl. If making the sauce from scratch, you can do this while the squash is roasting.
- Use the same skillet to cook the bacon over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels.
Finish the sauce and cook the pasta
- When the squash is ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Fill a large pot with 3 to 4 quarts (3 to 4 liter) of water, cover and bring to a boil while you finish the sauce.
- Scoop out the squash flesh and transfer 2 cups to a blender. Add the vegetable stock and sautéed onion mixture. Blend until smooth. If the sauce is thicker than you want, add a little more vegetable stock and blend again.
- Pour the sauce into a pot and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Taste, then season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add the tablespoon of salt and pasta. Cook according to the package instructions. You can cook it al dente (my preference) or until it reaches your desired softness.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve some pasta water. Drain, then toss the pasta with the warm butternut squash sauce. Add a little reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Top with the bacon, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and fresh parsley. You can top each plate before serving or serve the toppings separately so everyone can add as much as they like.
Video
Notes
- Olive oil: You can leave it out and use butter only for sautéing if you prefer.
- Butter: Use real butter rather than a butter substitute.
- Parmesan: This applies to both amounts in the recipe. I like using Parmesan from a block and grating it myself. If measuring by volume, pack the grated cheese into the measuring cup. Grana Padano, Pecorino or aged Asiago can also be used. Pecorino is a little saltier.
- Seasoning: Salted or unsalted butter will both work. The amount of salt you need will depend on the stock, butter and cheese you use. My homemade vegetable stock is quite low in sodium. Add the Parmesan first, then taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Roasting time: A whole 2-pound squash, cut in half, should take about 45 minutes. Larger squash can take longer, so check the flesh rather than relying only on the time.
- Using prepared sauce: One full batch of my butternut squash pasta sauce, about 3 cups, is enough for this recipe. Prepare the toppings, then warm the sauce gently in a saucepan or pot while you cook the pasta. It thickens as it cools, so add a splash of vegetable stock if needed. Toss with the cooked pasta and add the toppings.
- Oven bacon: If you are meal prepping or cooking extra bacon for another recipe, arrange thin strips on a parchment-lined sheet pan and cook at 400°F (200°C) for about 12 minutes, without turning, or until as crisp as you like. Break or cut into small pieces.
- Leftovers: This pasta is best served fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep the toppings separate. I reheated the pasta in a skillet with a splash of water, then added the toppings afterward.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.
Want more recipes like this one?
Tell Google you’d like to see more of our recipes.
