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Creamy Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash Ricotta Sauce

The most comforting fall and winter pasta full of Mediterranean flavors: Butternut squash comes together with ricotta cheese to make a delicious creamy sauce in this delicious pasta dish.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean , Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for greasing baking dish
  • 2 cloves of garlic quartered
  • 1 ⅓ lb. (600 g) butternut squash peeled and cut in 1 inch (2 cm) cubes
  • 8 oz (250 g) ricotta cheese
  • 6 oz (160 g) penne or rigatoni
  • ⅓ cup grated parmesan or pecorino (can also include shavings)
  • coarse sea salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pan add 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté the garlic for a minute. Add the chopped butternut squash, a pinch of salt, cover and continue heating on low heat until soft and pierceable with a fork, 15-20 minutes.
  2. Empty the squash and garlic in a bowl and smash with a fork,add the ricotta, a pinch of salt and mix well. Place back in the pan.
  3. In the meantime, boil the pasta al dente, save some of the pasta water.
  4. Preheat oven at 400 F (200 C) and grease a baking dish with olive oil.
  5. Once pasta is ready, empty the pasta in the squash-ricotta mixture with about 2-3 tablespoons pasta water and heat for a few minutes stirring well. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese or shavings. Add fresh ground pepper and another pinch of salt for taste and mix again.
  6. Empty the pasta- butternut squash mix in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake for 10 minutes.
  7. Serve immediately with some fresh ground pepper.

Notes

  • You can also skip the baking step and serve as is, but it won’t have that crunch on the surface. 
  • To store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for 2 days.