Butternut Squash Alfredo
Indulge in the creamy goodness of Butternut Squash Alfredo, a pasta sauce that’s both comforting and more wholesome than typical alfredo.
This easy-to-make recipe combines the rich flavors of roasted butternut squash with a luscious Alfredo sauce, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and savory deliciousness. We make it by combining roasted butternut squash, which is delicious all on its own, with alfredo sauce. It’s comfort food with a healthy twist! Let’s make it!
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Ingredients
Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce
- Butternut squash – you want it to be deep orange in color for the best flavor. Typically a whole squash has better flavor than pre-cut.
- Salted butter
- Garlic
- All-purpose flour
- 2% milk
- Parmesan Cheese
- Vegetable or chicken broth
- Salt, pepper, dried basil and dried oregano
Butternut squash
How to pick a good butternut squash
As I mentioned above, the deeper the orange color of the squash, the more flavorful it is. So how do we pick a flavorful squash without being able to see the inside? While you don’t know for sure until you cut into it, there are a few things you can do to pick a better butternut.
Look for:
- Creamy colored skin. Most butternut squash will have a few imperfections and that is ok. Just stay away from one with lots of bruises and soft spots.
- Matte finish. A shiny skin can indicate that the squash was picked too early.
- Heaviness for its size. If the squash feels very light, this can also indicate it was picked too early, and thus be less flavorful.
Health benefits of butternut squash
Butternut squash is a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C and A, making it a great addition to something indulgent like alfredo sauce.
Because butternut squash is a good source of potassium, it can help you maintain healthy blood pressure. Just one cup of butternut squash contains almost 20% of the daily value for potassium. How awesome!
And we all know how important Vitamin C is in helping maintain a healthy immune system.
How to make it
Roast the squash
Cut one whole butternut squash into quarters, scoop out the seeds and as much of the pulp as you can. Rub the squash all over with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400F until tender (about 30-40 minutes).
Make the alfredo sauce
Add butter to a pot over medium heat. Once melted add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Then add the flour and whisk for another 2 minutes.
Add the milk and continue to cook until bubbling around the edges. You don’t want it to boil. So stir it occasionally and keep an eye on it. Then remove from heat and add the cheese, salt, pepper and herbs.
Blend the squash
Scoop the flesh of the squash out and add to a blender with broth. You will most likely have some extra squash, but it depends on the size. You can use chicken or vegetable stock for the broth. Blend until smooth. Then stir it into the alfredo sauce.
Return to the heat and cook until bubbling. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. I’ve put the added salt at a minimum because the broth and flavor of the squash can affect the overall flavor. If it tastes bland to you, taste and add salt by the 1/4 teaspoon until it tastes right.
I like to enjoy mine topped with fresh basil, cracked black pepper and more cheese!
Tried this recipe?
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Try these delicious fall recipes
Butternut Squash Alfredo
This recipe is perfect for when you want to indulge a little but still want to eat some veggies without knowing it. Roasted butternut squash adds flavor and nutrients! Plus its easy to make.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Roasted butternut squash
- 1 whole butternut squash (quartered and seeded)
- olive oil, salt and pepper
Butternut squash alfredo
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash
- 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp minced garlic (about 3 small cloves)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
Instructions
- Rub quartered butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper all over. Roast at 400F until tender. About 30-40 minutes. Allow it to cool while you make the alfredo.
- Add butter to a pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour, whisk together and cook for about 2 minutes more.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking at the same time. Cook until just starting to bubble around the edges. You don't want it to be boiling. Then remove from heat.
- Add the cheese, dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk.
- Combine stock and 2 cups of butternut squash flesh in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Add the squash puree to the alfredo. Return the pot to the heat until bubbling. Taste and add more salt if it tastes bland to you. Add by the ¼ tsp until desired flavor is reached.
- Enjoy with pasta!
