Description
A lighter twist on the Italian classic, this Butternut Squash “Carbonara” is creamy, cozy, and packed with fall flavor—without using heavy cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Meanwhile, roast or sauté butternut squash with olive oil until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Blend cooked squash with a splash of pasta water until smooth and creamy.
- In a skillet, cook pancetta or bacon until crisp. Add garlic and sauté briefly.
- Whisk egg yolks with Parmesan. Slowly stir in the warm squash purée to create a creamy sauce.
- Toss hot pasta with the squash sauce, pancetta, and garlic. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Season with salt and black pepper, then garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, skip the pancetta and use sautéed mushrooms instead. Whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta works well too.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: butternut squash, carbonara, pasta, creamy, fall recipe