alfredo butternut squash pasta bake (Printable Version)
Creamy pasta bake with roasted butternut squash and gooey cheese for comforting Italian-American flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 1.75 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Alfredo Sauce
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
08 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - Pinch ground nutmeg
→ Topping
14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 in baking dish.
02 - Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and lightly golden.
03 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
04 - In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
05 - Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cream, stirring constantly until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat and blend in Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth and creamy.
07 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, roasted squash, and Alfredo sauce. Toss gently to coat.
08 - Transfer mixture to greased baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella and additional Parmesan evenly across top.
09 - Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
# Additional Tips::
01 -
- Uses everyday supermarket staples
- Crowd-pleasing and vegetarian friendly
- Kid approved and freezer friendly
- Makes great leftovers for lunch or dinner
02 -
- High in vitamin A and fiber thanks to the squash
- Cheese topping gets golden not greasy if you use low moisture mozzarella
- Great for make ahead and safe to freeze reheats beautifully
03 -
- Roast the squash until it is fully tender and slightly caramelized for best flavor and sweetness
- Always undercook the pasta or your bake will turn mushy
- Taste your Alfredo before combining it with the pasta adjust salt and Parmesan now for the sharpest cheese tang