Butternut squash gets roasted, puréed, then tossed with Parmesan to make this nutty, creamy pasta sauce – Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage and Walnuts. Each serving is topped with crispy fried sage leaves, a hint of lemon zest, and toasted walnuts, adding a crunchy contrast to the squash. Feel free to forgo wrestling with a giant squash and use a package of cubed precut squash instead.

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage and Walnuts

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves
5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
¾ packed cup fresh sage leaves
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 lemon, zested (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, plus more as needed
1 pound short pasta, such as gemelli, casarecce or penne
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss well and roast until the squash is very tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing twice throughout. While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of water to boil.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the sage and cook, tossing often, until the leaves begin to crisp, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, tossing often, until the sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage and nuts to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the skillet. Let the mixture drain for 1 minute, then add it to a small bowl with the lemon zest; toss lightly and set aside.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup stock, and blend until smooth and thick. The consistency should be somewhere between a purée and a thick soup. Add more stock as needed, if it seems too thick.

Transfer the puréed squash to the reserved skillet and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, along with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until al dente. Just before draining, ladle ½ cup pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, then, off the heat, add the ½ cup Parmesan and toss until the cheese is incorporated. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and sprinkle the sage, walnut and lemon zest mixture on top, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

This Creamy Pasta is truly The HEALTHIEST Creamy Garlic Pasta Ever. It´s packed with flavors, made with simple everyday ingredients and done in about 20 minutes using just one pan. Serve it next to a crunchy baguette and a bottle of Spanish wine for a complete and delicious meal.

Serves 4

spainonafork.com

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
8 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
8 oz penne pasta
4 oz light cream cheese
1/2 cup finely grated Manchego cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil

In the meantime, finely chop the onion and roughly chop the garlic, then add into the pan with the hot olive oil, mix continuously

After 3 to 4 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in the dried oregano, quickly mix together, then add in the vegetable broth and season with sea salt & black pepper, raise to a high heat and gently mix together

Once it comes to a boil add in the pasta, mix every 2 minutes so the pasta evenly cooks and it doesn´t stick together

While the pasta is cooking, add the cream cheese at room temperature into a bowl, along with the grated cheese and chopped parsley, season with a kiss of sea salt & black pepper, using a spoon push down on the mixture and mix until everything is well mixed together

After 9 to 10 minutes and most of the broth has been absorbed by the pasta but there is still plenty of broth left, place a lid on the pan and lower to a low-medium heat, simmer for 2 to 4 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente

Once the pasta is cooked al dente remove the lid and turn off the heat, add in the cream cheese mixture and gently mix together until well mixed and you end up with a creamy pasta

Serve directly out of the pan or transfer into serving dishes

If you’re looking for a way to secretly add vegetables into a recipe, this is the one – Cauliflower Alfredo. Cauliflower and Parmigiano create a creamy sauce for pasta that you would never know was mainly made of cauliflower. The sauce is luxuriously creamy and velvety with all the comforting qualities of alfredo!

Serves 4-6

giadzy.com

INGREDIENTS
1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch florets
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the water
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 pound pasta, such as strozzapreti
Freshly ground black pepper, to serve
Olive oil, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season it generously with salt. Add the cauliflower and garlic to the water and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the vegetables and add them to a blender along with the butter and salt. Puree on high, scraping down the sides as needed, until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sauce to a large bowl.

Bring large pot of fresh water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 1 minute less then package directions. Using a tongs and a pasta spider if needed, remove the pasta from the water to the bowl with the sauce. Sprinkle the bare pasta with the cheese. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the bowl and toss to coat the pasta, creating a sauce that is creamy and clings to the pasta. Add another 1/2 cup of pasta water as needed to create a sauce. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chef’s Note: If you want to double down on the cauliflower taste, feel free to boil your pasta in the same water as the cauliflower.

For Pasta Salad with Grilled Sausages and Peppers it’s best to grill the sausages and peppers ahead of time. Use any amount of sausage and bell pepper.

Serves 8

foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound gemelli pasta
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sausage Mixed Grill, sausages and vegetables thinly sliced
2 large celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into thin strips
1 cup chopped basil

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice with the lemon zest, tomato paste, garlic, shallot and thyme. Stir in the 6 tablespoons of olive oil and the reserved pasta cooking water. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to the pasta and toss. Add the sausages, peppers, radicchio, celery, mozzarella and the remaining dressing and toss well. Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the basil and serve.

This Spanish Pasta with Romesco Sauce, known as Macarrones con Salsa Romesco, is possibly one of the BEST pasta dishes in the world.

Serves 4

spainonafork.com

INGREDIENTS
For thePasta:
3 cups vegetable broth (or any other broth)
8 oz penne pasta

For the Romesco Sauce:
8 raw hazelnuts
8 raw blanched almonds
3 large roasted red bell peppers jarred or canned
1/4 cup canned tomato paste
1 clove garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper
1/4 cup grated manchego cheese
handful fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the hazelnuts and almonds, mix continuously, after 3 to 4 minutes and they´re lightly roasted, remove from the pan and set aside

Using the same pan, add in the broth, a pinch of sea salt and raise to a high heat

Meanwhile, add the jarred roasted red bell peppers into a food processor, along with the tomato paste, clove of garlic, the roasted hazelnuts and almonds, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt & black pepper, run the food processor for 1 to 2 minutes or until you end up with a thick and creamy sauce, set aside

Once the broth comes to a boil, add in the penne pasta, mix every 1 to 2 minutes, after 8 to 9 minutes and most of the broth has been absorbed, but there´s still some broth left, place a lid on the pan and lower to a low-medium heat, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente, then remove the lid and turn off the heat

Add in the romesco sauce into the pan and mix together until well mixed

Transfer into shallow bowls and sprinkle with a kiss of grated Manchego cheese and garnish with fresh parsley, serve at once

Baked butternut squash pasta is a creamy, cheesy, comforting dish that is full of all the flavors of fall. The butternut squash and sage sauce is tossed with penne pasta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano, and layered between more sauce before being baked until melty.

Serves 4

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound penne or rigatoni, ziti, etc.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 ounces tomato paste
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
5 cups butternut squash cubed
¼ cup sage chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
½ pound mozzarella cheese shredded, divided

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400f and set rack to the middle level. Saute onion in the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until soft (about 5 minutes).

Add in the tomato paste, chicken stock, butternut squash, chopped sage, salt, pepper, and cook partially covered over medium heat until the squash is fork-tender (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water to very al dente. About 2 minutes less than the package instructions.

In a large bowl add half of the butternut squash sauce and the pasta. Add in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and ⅔’s of the shredded mozzarella. Gently mix together.

Place a layer of butternut squash sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13″ baking dish. Add the pasta and top with the remaining sauce and the remaining shredded mozzarella.

Cover with parchment paper then foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the covering and cook for 10 more minutes. If you want the cheese browned broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch carefully to avoid burning. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
– When cooking the sauce keep the lid slightly cracked to encourage a bit of evaporation and to help the hard squash soften more quickly.

– Covering the pasta with a layer of parchment paper, then foil, prevents the cheese from sticking. If you don’t have parchment paper try wiping a bit of oil onto the foil to prevent sticking.

– Fried sage leaves can be used as a garnish for a nice visual effect. To cook, just fry the sage leaves for 60-90 seconds in a ¼” layer of hot olive oil.

Baked Penne with Italian Sausage has everything you want in baked pasta, and then some. Creamy ricotta and mozzarella are tossed with penne and layered with an easy sausage tomato sauce, then baked until the mozzarella is melted and penne is lightly crisp on the top. Perfect for those cooler nights when you just want to cozy up with a hearty baked pasta and a glass of red.

Serves 8

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1.5 pounds bulk Italian fennel sausage or remove from sausage casings
4 cloves garlic sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
2 28 ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
½ cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Remaining ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta or ziti, rigatoni, etc
1 pound mozzarella shredded, divided
1 pound ricotta
½ cup Pecorino Romano grated

INSTRUCTIONS
For the sauce:
In a large pan or pot saute the onion in olive oil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the sausage to the pan and spread it out while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage until browned then add the garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.

Add the wine to the pan and turn the heat to high. Once the wine mostly evaporates turn the heat back down to medium and add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer on low and move to the next step.

Assembling the baked sausage penne:
Preheat oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level.

While the sauce is simmering bring a large pot of salted water to boil (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water). Cook pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente.

Prepare a 9 by 13 baking dish by placing a ¼ inch thick layer of sauce on the bottom.

Place 4 cups of sauce into a large bowl and add the pasta. Also, add the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and ¾’s of the shredded mozzarella. Mix well.

Pour the pasta into the baking dish. Top with a thin layer of sauce and the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned on top. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10 minutes before eating so that the pasta settles.

Notes
– Makes 8 moderate-sized or 4-6 large portions.
– Undercook the pasta! Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 30 minutes, so shoot for a bit firmer than al dente or about 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
– Put a hefty layer of the sausage sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to avoid sticking.
– Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch very carefully to avoid burning.

Pasta with Sausage Basil and Mustard: In matching spicy sausage with a creamy mustard sauce and fragrant basil, British cookbook author Nigel Slater created a quick pasta supper with warm, mildly spicy flavors. It’s perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

Serves 4

foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound penne, rigatoni, or medium shells
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced basil

INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.

This Spanish Tuna Pasta Bake is seriously crazy good. It´s packed with so many great flavors, effortless to make and done in about 30 minutes. Serve it next to a salad and a bottle of Spanish wine for an incredible meal.

Serves 4

spainonafork.com

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 1/4 cups penne pasta 8 oz
2 tins tuna in olive oil 4 oz
1 cup grated Manchego cheese
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (divided)
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Fill a stock pot a little over half ways with cold water, season generously with sea salt and heat with a high heat

At the same time, heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Meanwhile, roughly dice 1 small onion and roughly chop 4 cloves garlic

After heating the olive oil for a couple of minutes, add in the onion & garlic, mix with the olive oil, after 3 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika, quickly mix together, then add in two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp (8 grams) finely chopped parsley and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together and simmer on a medium heat

Once the water comes to a boil in the stock pot, add in 2 1/4 cups penne pasta, cook until al dente (check package instructions)

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, turn off the heat on the sauce, using a slotted spatula, transfer the pasta into the pan with the sauce, shaking off any excess water

Drain 2 cans of tuna in olive oil into a sieve with a bowl underneath, flake the tuna and then add into the pan with the pasta & sauce, mix together until well mixed

Transfer the pasta into a 12 inch x 9 inch (30 cm x 22 cm) casserole dish, making sure it´s all in a flat layer, then finely grate in about 1 cup of Manchego cheese, making sure to coat the entire surface

Add into a preheated oven, bake + broil option (bottom + top heat), 210 C -410 F, bake until the cheese is fully melted, between 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from the oven

Sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley and serve

Zuni’s Pasta with Preserved Tuna is adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook (which can never be praised enough). Judy Rodgers created the recipe as a way of saving leftover tuna on Sunday. I assume you do not have that problem, but if you do, take the time to preserve the tuna yourself. It isn’t hard and it is wonderful; you can find Rodgers’s method in the Zuni cookbook. What’s below is her adaptation for canned tuna — good olive oil-packed tuna. As for the pasta: Rodgers recommends penne, ziti, or ditali, but I’ve made this with spaghetti and perciatelli and I was pleased. Also, while we’re being heretical, have I substituted walnuts [why not roasted cashews?] for the pine nuts before? I have.

Serves 4

food52.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound pasta (see above)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest, in thin strips
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional, for the sake of small humans)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional, for the same reason)
2 garlic cloves, slivered
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup pine nuts or chopped roasted cashews
2 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon preserved lemon, rinsed and chopped (optional)
12 ounces olive oil-packed tuna (slightly more or less is fine)

INSTRUCTIONS
Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

In a small skillet, gently warm the olive oil with the lemon zest, bay leaf, chili flakes and black pepper (if using), garlic, and fennel seeds. Cook for about 15 minutes over very low heat to let the flavors infuse the oil. Then add the canned tuna, pine nuts, capers, and preserved lemon (if using). Gently nudge apart the tuna and let it warm up but not cook.

Meanwhile, once the water boils, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well and toss in a serving bowl with the tuna mixture. Serve.