When autumn squash begins appearing at the market, delicata is always a welcome sight. Its tender, edible skin means there’s no peeling required, and roasting brings out its naturally sweet, almost nutty flavour.
Here, golden cubes of delicata squash are tossed with pasta in a sage-infused brown butter sauce, with Parmesan adding a savoury richness and a squeeze of lemon keeping everything bright. Toasted hazelnuts provide a final bit of crunch and echo the nuttiness of the browned butter.
It’s a wonderfully satisfying autumn pasta—rich without being heavy, full of contrasting textures, and just as suitable for a weeknight supper as it is alongside a crisp green salad for a leisurely weekend lunch.
Delicata Squash Pasta with Sage Brown Butter
Golden roasted delicata squash, nutty brown butter and crisp sage combine with Parmesan and toasted hazelnuts in this deeply satisfying autumn pasta.
- Yield: Serves 4. 1x
Ingredients
For the Squash
- 454 g or 1 lb delicata squash (1 medium)
- 30 ml or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 ml or ½ tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta
- 225 g or 8 oz pasta (rigatoni, penne, or fusilli)
- 60 g or ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- 45 g or ⅓ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
For the Sage Brown Butter Sauce
- 85 g or 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 10–12 fresh sage leaves
- 15 ml or 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 60 ml or ¼ cup heavy cream or 2 tbsp ricotta for richness (optional)
Instructions
Roast the Squash
- Preheat oven to 220°C or 425°F.
- Slice squash lengthwise, remove seeds, and cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes.
- Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper; spread on a parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping once, until golden and caramelized.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- Reserve 120 ml or ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain.
Make the Brown Butter Sauce
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it foams.
- Add sage leaves and cook until butter turns nutty brown and sage crisps, about 3–4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice (and cream or ricotta, if using).
Combine and Serve
- Add roasted squash and cooked pasta to the skillet.
- Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to coat evenly.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and adjust seasoning.
- Serve topped with extra Parmesan and chopped hazelnuts.
