This post is sponsored by Mueller’s® Pasta. The opinions and text are all mine.

This Sage Pasta with Butternut Squash is filled with fall flavors for a delicious, seasonal dinner! Topped with crispy sage and salty Parmesan, this simple, 7 ingredient meal will have you coming back for seconds!

butternut squash pasta in a bowl
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I love fall produce and I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because it highlights some of my favorite seasonal flavors. Sweet butternut squash is delicious paired with kale, sage, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese.

butternut squash pasta in a bowl

Sage Pasta with Butternut Squash Ingredients

  • Mueller’s Spaghetti– Mueller’s spaghetti is made with simple, real ingredients without any fillers or preservatives. For more than 100 years, Mueller’s has made pasta using a simple recipe of high-quality durum wheat and filtered water. It delivers consistent taste, quality, and versatility.
  • Walnuts– Chopped walnuts are toasted to enhance their flavor and they add a delicious crunch to this pasta dish.
  • Butter– The brown butter toasts the sage until crispy and it creates a luxurious base of the sauce.
  • Sage– Fresh sage leaves are essential to the flavor of the dish and their crispy texture is incredible.
  • Butternut squash– The sweetness of the squash adds so much flavor to this pasta dish and it’s an easy way to fill your plate with vegetables to balance the pasta!
  • Kale– The kale is softened slightly for the perfect texture.
  • Parmesan cheese-This is essential for creating a salty dish with tons of flavor.

How to Make Sage Pasta with Butternut Squash

Cook pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

cooked pasta with pasta water

In a large skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove the walnuts from the pan.

toasted walnuts in a pan

Add the butter to the warm, empty skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped sage leaves and stir so the sage leaves are coated in butter. Stir frequently and allow the butter to turn a golden brown color.

sage in a pan

Cook the sage for 2-3 minutes until crispy, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to a paper towel-lined plate. Without cleaning out the skillet, add the butternut squash to the skillet. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender.

chopped butternut squash in a skillet

Add the kale and 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the skillet. Then allow the kale to steam for 1 minute or until bright green and soft.

steamed kale in a skillet

In a large bowl, toss pasta, butternut squash mixture, Parmesan cheese, and about ¼ cup of the pasta water. You may need additional pasta water, depending on the texture of the dish.

butternut squash pasta in a bowl

Divide into bowls and top with walnuts and crispy sage leaves.

Recipe Shortcuts

  • To make this recipe even faster, you can use pre-cut butternut squash. Butternut squash can be a lot of work to peel and chop, so to save time, feel free to buy pre-cut fresh or frozen squash! If you’re using frozen squash, it’s probably already par-cooked, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time.
  • The great thing about this recipe is that you can toast the walnuts, fry the sage, and steam the butternut squash and kale while the pasta cooks. Each step only takes a few minutes so this recipe really can be made in about 30 minutes!
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Butternut Squash and Sage Pasta

Sage Pasta with Butternut Squash

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Sage Pasta with Butternut Squash is filled with fall flavors for a delicious, seasonal dinner! Topped with crispy sage and salty Parmesan, this simple, 7 ingredient meal will have you coming back for seconds!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1lb Mueller’s Spaghetti
  • 1 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash, diced into 1/2 pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped kale leaves
  • 2 oz Parmesan (about 1 cup grated) plus additional for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt.
  2. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
  4. In a large skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove the walnuts from the pan.
  5. Add the butter to the warm, empty skillet over medium heat.
  6. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped sage leaves and stir frequently. The butter will turn a golden brown color.
  7. Cook the sage for 2-3 minutes until crispy, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  8. Without cleaning out the skillet, add the butternut squash to the skillet. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Use a spatula to gently flip the squash once during cooking, to ensure even browning.
  9. Add the kale and ½ cup of pasta water to the skillet.
  10. Cover and steam the kale for 1 minute until bright green and soft, then remove from heat.
  11. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, butternut squash mixture, Parmesan cheese, and about ¼ cup of the pasta water. If the pasta is dry, drizzle with additional pasta water until desired consistency.
  12. Top with walnuts and crispy sage leaves.
  13. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and add salt to taste.

butternut squash pasta

This pasta is perfect for a fall dinner party! It’s simple to make but I love how colorful this dish is with the orange squash and bright green kale.

Side Dish Suggestions

Looking for the perfect side dish to pair with this butternut squash and sage pasta? Here are a few ideas!