Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This butternut squash pasta with tender squash, sage, thyme, and Parmesan cheese in a creamy homemade sauce makes a cozy vegetarian meal in the fall.

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons rubbed dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2 Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash and sauté until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3 Fold in cream and spinach; bring to a simmer. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
4 Add ziti and toss until evenly coated. Cook until sauce has thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5 Divide between 8 bowls. Top with walnuts and more Parmesan.