This easy and delicious roasted butternut squash pasta sauce recipe is rich, creamy, and the perfect fall dish. Featuring roasted butternut squash and red bell pepper, along with garlic, onion, and the perfect blend of seasonings, this homemade pasta sauce is sure to become a hit. Not to mention, it’s a great way to use up fresh squash and can easily be prepped ahead of time and enjoyed later!

a bowl of noodles with sauce on top, there is another bowl of noodles behind it

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Okay, here’s the thing, squash and I do not get along by any means. Not as much as squash and my baby brother don’t get along, but that’s a story for another day.

The truth is, I hate squash in pretty much every sense of the word. I’ve never cared for the texture, and try as I might, I’ve never found a squash recipe I enjoy eating — unless it involves pie, purée, or an unhealthy amount of cheese.

a close up of a bowl of noodles with butternut squash pasta sauce on top

Every year, though, for reasons mostly unknown to me, I buy squash — specifically butternut squash — despite it being something I’ve never really eaten and something that wasn’t a part of my childhood. Still, it’s a food that, in my mind, is deeply associated with fall and all the usual seasonal flavors.

So why (or how), you might be asking, did this recipe come about? Well, to make a long story short, I saw a jar of butternut squash pasta sauce at Aldi a couple of years ago and decided to try recreating it at home.

Partly because it seemed super easy to make myself, partly because I had a butternut squash that needed to be used, but mostly because I wanted a delicious pasta sauce to top my very first batch of homemade noodles.

a bowl of noodles with pasta sauce, there is a whole squash behind it

And I’m happy to say that not only was this creamy sauce super easy to make, but it is downright delicious! It’s made with simple ingredients and is packed full of fall flavor.

Plus, it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family. It’s great for dinner parties or fall get-togethers — not to mention it can easily be prepped ahead of time, and even frozen!

two bowls noodles with sauce, there is also whole butternut squash next to it

How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

Half a large butternut squash (or 1 small butternut squash), peeled, seeded, and chopped into chunks
1 red bell pepper, washed and roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1–2 celery stalks, sliced
tomato paste
Olive oil
Sea salt
White pepper (you can also use freshly ground black pepper, but I prefer the flavor of white pepper for this recipe)
Pasta water, + more as needed
Pasta of choice, for serving

a close up on s bowl of noodles with sauce on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Place the chopped squash and bell pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and season with salt. Mix to coat all the pieces, then bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the squash is soft and the pepper looks roasted.

While the veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta to al dente according to package or recipe instructions. Drain the noodles, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water and set aside. (You can skip this step if you are prepping your sauce ahead of time.)

Once the veggies are roasted, remove them from the oven and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery, and sauté until the celery is tender and the onion is translucent.

Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor. Add the roasted squash, bell pepper, tomato paste, and pasta water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, adding more water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Pour the blended sauce into a large skillet. Season with sea salt and white pepper, and heat over medium heat, stirring often until hot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Add the noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Remove from heat and serve immediately. I love to top this dish with a little Parmesan cheese and serve it with a side of crusty bread.

Enjoy!

a bowl of noodles with sauce on top, there is another bowl behind it

Recipe Notes

Any leftover butternut squash sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can also purée this sauce in a high-speed blender or with an immersion blender.

This butternut squash pasta sauce can easily be prepped ahead of time. To do this, skip cooking the noodles, use plain water in place of pasta water, and season the sauce while it’s still in the blender. Transfer the finished sauce to a jar or airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you forgot to reserve some pasta water, no worries! You can easily use plain water, vegetable broth, chicken broth, or even unsweetened almond milk to thin your pasta sauce.

a bowl of noodles with sauce on top, there is another bowl of noodles behind it and a whole butternut squash next to it

I haven’t personally tried freezing this pasta sauce, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t freeze beautifully. Homemade pasta sauce can be frozen in freezer bags or in ice cube trays to create individual portions — perfect for reheating just what you need.

Feel free to add additional spices to this recipe: rosemary, thyme, fresh sage leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, or Italian seasoning would all be delicious.