Linguine with roasted butternut squash
- Preparation 25 min
- Cooking 50 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍝 A client dared me to make a pasta recipe
This one didn’t come out of nowhere. A client challenged me to make him a pasta recipe, and that was the whole brief. I looked at what was sitting on my counter that week and there was a butternut squash. I cubed it, sent it to the oven, and built the plate around it. What came out of that dare is legendary, plain and simple.
🎃 Squash and pasta, together
I love squash. I love pasta. Put the two together and it’s hard to beat.
🧀 Cubes that stay cubes
The squash leaves the oven tender but still firm, so it rides along with the linguine instead of melting into a sauce. What holds it together is the starchy pasta water and a full cup of finely grated Pecorino Romano, no cream. The pecorino is salty and sharp, which is exactly what sweet roasted squash needs. Fresh thyme, garlic, and the whole thing comes together in the same pot the pasta just came out of.
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🗡️ Cutting a raw butternut squash without a fight
This is the only hard move in the whole recipe, and it’s the one that scares people off. Here’s how I do it. I take a big knife and drive the tip straight into the middle of the squash. Once the point is through, I knock the blade down and let the force carry it the rest of the way. It splits in one go instead of getting sawed at.
Two things make it easier. A minute in the microwave softens the skin before you start. And I sometimes cut the squash in two across its thickness first, neck on one side, bulb on the other, so I end up with two short pieces that sit still on the board.
The real hazard isn’t the knife, it’s a squash that rolls. Shave a thin slice off one side to give it a flat foot and it stays put.
🌡️ 375°F, oven, sheet pan
The squash roasts in the oven, spread out on a large baking sheet, drizzled with olive oil and stirred once along the way. Thirty-five minutes at 375°F (190°C), no more. Hotter and the corners go dark before the middle is done. Longer and you’re drifting toward puree, which is a different plate entirely: that’s my Fettuccine Alfredo with roasted acorn squash or my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, both of which I love, but neither eats like this one.
🍴 Tender but still firm
The tip of a knife slides in without pushing. That’s my whole test. If the cube collapses when you stir it on the pan, it went too far.
💧 Keep more pasta water than you think you need
The recipe has you save 1 cup (250 ml) of cooking water and only use half of it at the end. That gap is on purpose. I always tell people to keep a little extra, just in case.
That water is loaded with starch released by the linguine, and starch is what glues the cheese to the pasta and gives the dish body. How much you actually need shifts with the brand of pasta and how long you take to plate. Add it a ladle at a time, stirring, until it coats the strands instead of pooling at the bottom.
🧀 Turn the heat down before the pecorino
Hard cheese dropped into a pot that’s too hot separates and clumps instead of melting into the water. Turn the burner down first, then add the pecorino and stir. Two minutes and you’re there.
📦 Ahead of time, and in the freezer
Roast the squash the day before if that helps. Cool it, keep it covered in the fridge, then warm it back up the day you serve. Cold squash chills the pasta and the cheese sets badly.
The finished dish freezes too. Just thaw it properly and loosen it as it reheats: a splash of chicken broth, milk, cream, or leftover pasta water if you saved some. That one addition is the difference between pasta that comes back to life and pasta that comes out dry.
✅ What to serve with my linguine with roasted butternut squash
Honestly, it stands on its own. A big bowl, fresh thyme and grated pecorino over the top, done. If you want something beside it, throw together my white balsamic arugula salad, the bitterness cuts straight through the sweet squash. When I have people over I’ll put my Roasted butternut squash with bacon and goat cheese out first, or pull out my Creamy Sausage Pasta with Spinach and Spaghetti Squash the next day with whatever cheese is left.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb (454 g) linguine
- 4 cups (1 L) butternut squash (1 medium squash), diced
- Olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh thyme leaves + a little more for serving
- 1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Pecorino Romano + a little more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then mix. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once, until the squash is tender but still firm. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan filled with salted boiling water, cook pasta al dente following the instructions on the package. Keep 1 cup (250 ml) of cooking water, pour pasta in a colander and drain. Add a thin stream of olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside.
- In the same large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, garlic, thyme and a thin stream of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring.
- Add pasta and squash and toss to distribute.
- Add the cheese and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of cooking water. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Continue cooking for 2 minutes while stirring. Add a splash of cooking water as needed. Serve immediately and garnish with fresh thyme and pecorino cheese!
Big knife, tip driven into the middle of the squash, then knock the blade down and let the force take it through. It beats sawing at it, and it’s safer than it sounds because the knife never skates across the skin.
Two shortcuts help: a minute in the microwave softens the skin, and cutting the squash across its thickness first leaves you two short pieces that are far easier to hold. Shave a flat spot on one side so it can’t roll.
Most versions go creamy, blending the roasted squash with cream or ricotta into a smooth orange sauce. That works, and I make plates like that myself.
This one goes the other way. The cubes stay whole and the coating comes from starchy pasta water and finely grated Pecorino Romano, with garlic, thyme and good olive oil. Sharp and salty against sweet squash, and you still get to bite into the vegetable.
Thirty-five minutes on a sheet pan, stirred once halfway through. You’re looking for a knife tip that slides in without pushing while the cube still holds its shape.
Halves or big wedges take much longer, closer to an hour. Cubes at 375°F (190°C) hit the sweet spot for pasta.
The roasted squash can be done a day early. Cool it, cover it, refrigerate it, then reheat it the day you’re serving so it doesn’t chill the pasta.
Yes, you can freeze the finished dish. Thaw it fully and loosen it while it reheats with chicken broth, milk, cream or leftover pasta water. Skip that step and it comes out dry.
It’s a full main course and it eats fine on its own. If you want a side, my white balsamic arugula salad is the one I’d pick, since the bitterness balances the sweetness of the roasted cubes.
Wine and beer pairings are right below.
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