Butternut Squash Beef Pasta: Fall Weeknight Dinner
A creamy, comforting pasta dish that combines savory ground beef with a velvety butternut squash cheese sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need something hearty and delicious fast!
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini or penne pasta cooked until al dente
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (you'll use this to thin the sauce if needed)
- 1 lb ground beef
For the Butternut Squash Cheese Sauce:
- 3 cups frozen butternut squash cubes
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining completely.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into crumbles and seasoning with salt.
- Blend butternut squash cubes with milk, butter, and minced garlic in blender until completely smooth and creamy.
- Heat the squash mixture in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes until warmed through completely.
- Add both cheeses to the warm squash sauce with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, stirring until melted.
- Combine pasta and beef with the butternut squash cheese sauce, tossing well and adding pasta water if needed.
- Serve immediately while hot, topped with extra parmesan cheese if desired for the perfect finishing touch.
Notes
- Frozen butternut squash saves time and works just as well as fresh here.
- The sauce will thicken as it sits, so add pasta water to loosen.
- Ground turkey or Italian sausage makes excellent substitutions for the beef.
- Fresh spinach can be stirred in at the end for added nutrition.
- Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk to restore the creamy texture.