Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Crispy Prosciutto

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Crispy Prosciutto

Butternut Squash Pasta with sauteed chicken, crispy prosciutto, and a rich sauce made with carmalized onions, fresh herbs, parmesan, and savory squash. This luscious pasta is simply irresistible and the perfect cozy fall dish to enjoy with family and friends. (This recipe is completely gluten-free)

4.99 from 51 votes

Print Pin

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Capri Lilly

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) Package of Pasta (gluten-free or regular)
5 Slices of Proscuitto
2 tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/3 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish
1 (8 oz) jar Sun-dried Tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp Fresh Sage, chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
1 tbsp Butter, divided
Sea Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste

For The Butternut Pasta Sauce

1 Medium butternut squash, peeled, diced, and cooked (enough to make 2 cups of mashed butternut squash)
2 cups Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth) plus more as needed
1 Small Onion, sliced
7 Garlic Cloves

Optional Add-ins

2-4 Cooked Chicken Breast
2 tbsp Pine Nuts, toasted
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced and sauteed

Instructions

Make Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

COOK THE SQUASH Roast, boil, or air fry the butternut squash until fork tender. (*see notes)
CARAMELIZE THE ONIONS: While the butternut squash is cooking, saute the onion. In a large skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add sliced onions, and a pinch of salt, and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally (add 1 tbsp of water if necessary to deglaze the pan.) The onions should be soft and golden brown when done. Once the onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Add the cooked butternut squash, onions, garlic, and broth to a heat-safe food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, adding more broth as needed to reach your desired consistency.
(SEE QUICK OPTION BELOW TO ROAST ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN THE OVEN TO MAKE THE SAUCE)

Assemble The Pasta

COOK THE PASTA NOODLES: Cook the pasta noodles according to package instructions, or until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
ROAST THE PROSCUITTO: While the pasta is cooking, prepare the crispy prosciutto. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and place prosciutto flat with space between each. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
COOK THE CHICKEN BREAST: Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and seasonings of choice. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Cook the chicken breast for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. (Deglaze the pan with a bit of water if necessary before moving on to make the sauce in the skillet.)
ADD CHEESE AND HERBS TO THE SAUCE: In a large skillet over medium-low heat (the same skillet chicken was cooked in), add rosemary, sage, and a bit of oil. Saute for about 1 minute. Then, add the butternut squash puree and 1/2 a cup of reserved pasta water, and stir to combine. Then, add in the parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
COMBINE: Toss in the pasta noodles and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix until all the pasta is coated in the pasta sauce. If needed, thin the pasta sauce by adding more reserved cooking water.
Top with crispy prosciutto pieces, sliced chicken breast (optional), and more parmesan cheese.

OPTIONAL GARNISH

In a separate small saute pan, add 1 tbsp and thinly sliced garlic and pine nuts. Saute for 1-2 minutes to toast, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the crispy garlic and toasted pine nuts on top of the pasta.

Notes

QUICK METHOD TO MAKING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA SAUCE:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Peel and cut the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Slice the onion into large chunks and tear the prosciutto into large pieces.
Place the squash, garlic cloves, and onions on a large baking sheet and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes. Then, add the prosciutto pieces and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Add the cooked butternut squash, onions, garlic, and broth to a heat-safe food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, adding more broth as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Ways To Cook Butternut Squash

There are several ways that you can cook butternut squash to make pasta sauce.

Roast In The Oven: Either slice whole butternut squash in half and roast it until soft, about 45 minutes at 400°F. Or cut the flesh of the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes and roast until soft, about 25 minutes at 400°F. Roasting the cubes is faster (especially if you purchase pre-cut squash from the grocery store)
Cook In The Air Fryer: You can air fry butternut squash whole or cut into cubes. Air frying squash is a lot quicker than roasting and the results are the same. Check out my Air Fryer Butternut Squash Recipe for more details.
Boil In Water: Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes about 1/2-inch thick. Boil in water for about 12-15 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender. Drain, then use.

goodfoodbaddie.com offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used when you make the recipe. For more information read our Nutritional Disclaimer.

Nutrition