I turned roasted butternut and crisp pancetta into Pancetta and Butternut Squash Pasta with a one-ingredient twist that deepens the natural sweetness.

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I never planned to obsess over a butternut squash and pancetta bake, but here I am. The sweet, slightly nutty bite of butternut squash against salty pancetta kept surprising me.

This is not your usual Butternut Squash Bacon Pasta or Pancetta And Butternut Squash Pasta you’d expect, it’s got a little edge, a few surprises that kept me tasting, tweaking, tasting again. I kept thinking about Squash Pasta and even Butternut Squash And Bacon Risotto while eating it.

You’ll want to try it, even if you think you know squash.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I love the sweet and savory combo, it keeps every bite interesting
– I like the silky, creamy feel that coats each bite and those crunchy salty bits for contrast
– It feels like a cozy dinner that makes me relax after a long day
– Leftovers actually taste better the next day so I always make extra

Ingredients

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Butternut squash: sweet and nutty, high in fiber and vitamin A, adds creamy texture.
Pancetta or bacon: salty, smoky, brings protein and fat, crisp bits add contrast.
Pasta: carb rich, provides hearty base to carry flavors and creamy sauce.
Yellow onion: sweetens when browned, adds savory depth and natural sugars.
Garlic: punchy, aromatic, small amount goes long way boosting umami.
Parmesan: salty, nutty, protein and calcium, melts into silky finishing flavor.
Heavy cream or mascarpone: adds richness and silk, small splash keeps sauce clingy.
Sage or thyme plus parsley: herb warmth, earthy and bright, cuts richness nicely.

Ingredient Quantities

1 medium butternut squash about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

6 ounces pancetta or thick cut bacon diced

12 ounces dried pasta such as penne or rigatoni

1 medium yellow onion diced

3 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

1/4 cup heavy cream or 2 tablespoons mascarpone optional

8 to 10 fresh sage leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper and the red pepper flakes if you want heat. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once, until golden and tender.

2. While squash roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente per package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat add the diced pancetta or bacon and cook until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer pancetta to a plate lined with paper towel, leaving most of the rendered fat in the pan.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil plus the 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet with the pancetta fat (if the pan looks dry). Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Season with a little salt and pepper.

5. Stir in the minced garlic and chopped sage leaves (or dried thyme) and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant. Dont let the garlic burn.

6. Add the roasted squash and the crisped pancetta back into the skillet, gently tossing to combine. Add the cooked pasta straight into the skillet.

7. Pour in about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and the 1/4 cup heavy cream or the 2 tablespoons mascarpone if using, then sprinkle in the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Toss everything together over low heat until the sauce clings to the pasta, adding more pasta water a little at a time if it seems dry. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

8. Finish with a little extra grated Parmesan and the chopped parsley for color. If you like, add a few extra torn sage leaves on top.

9. Serve warm right away. A good trick is to let it sit a minute off the heat so the sauce thickens, but dont overheat or the cream will break.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet (for roasting the squash)
2. Large pot (for boiling the pasta)
3. Colander (to drain the pasta)
4. Large skillet or sauté pan (to cook pancetta and make the sauce)
5. Chefs knife (for peeling and dicing squash, chopping onion and sage)
6. Cutting board
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Box grater or microplane (for the Parmesan)
9. Tongs or a wooden spoon (for tossing the pasta and sauce)
10. Paper towels (to drain the crisped pancetta)

FAQ

Q: Can I swap bacon for pancetta? A: Yep, thick cut bacon works great. Dice and render it slowly so it gets crispy, then drain a bit of the fat if it seems greasy. Taste before salting since both bacon and Parmesan are pretty salty.

Q: How do I roast the squash without it turning to mush? A: Cut into roughly 1 inch cubes, toss with oil and salt, spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet so they roast not steam, and roast at 425 F for about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once. Don’t overcrowd the pan and use a hot oven so you get caramelized edges.

Q: Can I make this vegetarian? A: Yes. Skip the pancetta and boost umami with sautéed mushrooms, roasted chickpeas, or a pinch of smoked paprika or liquid smoke. Use extra butter or olive oil for richness and finish with lots of Parmesan or toasted nuts for texture.

Q: Can I make it ahead and reheat? A: Sure, but separate components are best. Keep roasted squash and cooked pasta apart in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of reserved pasta water and a little cream or mascarpone to bring it back together. You can freeze roasted squash for up to 2 months, but frozen pasta gets mushy.

Q: How do I get a silky sauce that clings to the pasta? A: Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Toss hot pasta with the roasted squash, pancetta, butter, Parmesan, and a few tablespoons of that starchy water. The cheese and water emulsify into a creamy coating. Add the cream or mascarpone if you want extra silkiness.

Q: No fresh sage, what can I use instead? A: Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or just stir in chopped parsley at the end. If you use dried herbs, add them earlier in the cooking so they bloom; fresh herbs go in at the finish for bright flavor.

Roasted Butternut Squash And Bacon Pasta Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butternut squash: swap with sweet potato, kabocha or acorn squash. They roast like cubes and give similar sweetness and texture, just watch the roast time since density can vary.
Pancetta or bacon: use guanciale for a richer pork punch, or crisped prosciutto if thats what you have. For a vegetarian option try chopped cremini mushrooms sautéed until deeply browned and slightly salty.
Dried pasta like penne or rigatoni: use fusilli, cavatappi or ziti to trap the squash bits and sauce, or pick a gluten free rice or corn pasta for GF needs. Cook to package al dente.
Parmesan and heavy cream: swap Parmesan with Pecorino Romano or aged Asiago for sharper flavor, and replace heavy cream with crème fraîche or full fat Greek yogurt stirred in off the heat so it doesnt break.

Pro Tips

1) Roast right: cut the squash into even 1 inch pieces, spread them out in a single layer so they brown instead of steam, and pop them in a very hot oven — flipping once about halfway through makes a big difference. dont crowd the pan or you wont get those caramelized edges that give the dish its best flavor.

2) Pancetta is your flavor bomb so render it low and slow until almost crisp, then scoop it out and drain on paper towel so it stays crunchy, leave most of the fat in the pan to cook the onions, you can always add a little butter or olive oil if it looks dry.

3) Build the sauce gently: add Parmesan and mascarpone off the heat or on very low so the cheese doesnt seize, use the reserved pasta water a little at a time to make a silky emulsion, and if you used cream dont let it boil or it can split — letting the skillet rest off the heat for a minute will tighten the sauce perfectly.

4) Finish smart: taste before salting because pancetta and Parmesan are already salty, brighten it at the end with a little lemon zest or a splash of vinegar and add texture with toasted walnuts or pepitas, and for leftovers reheat slowly with a splash of pasta water or cream so it doesnt dry out.

Roasted Butternut Squash And Bacon Pasta Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I turned roasted butternut and crisp pancetta into Pancetta and Butternut Squash Pasta with a one-ingredient twist that deepens the natural sweetness.

Servings

servings

Calories

573

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet (for roasting the squash)
2. Large pot (for boiling the pasta)
3. Colander (to drain the pasta)
4. Large skillet or sauté pan (to cook pancetta and make the sauce)
5. Chefs knife (for peeling and dicing squash, chopping onion and sage)
6. Cutting board
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Box grater or microplane (for the Parmesan)
9. Tongs or a wooden spoon (for tossing the pasta and sauce)
10. Paper towels (to drain the crisped pancetta)

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
6 ounces pancetta or thick cut bacon diced
12 ounces dried pasta such as penne or rigatoni
1 medium yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream or 2 tablespoons mascarpone optional
8 to 10 fresh sage leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper and the red pepper flakes if you want heat. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once, until golden and tender.
While squash roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente per package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
In a large skillet over medium heat add the diced pancetta or bacon and cook until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer pancetta to a plate lined with paper towel, leaving most of the rendered fat in the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil plus the 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet with the pancetta fat (if the pan looks dry). Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Stir in the minced garlic and chopped sage leaves (or dried thyme) and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant. Dont let the garlic burn.
Add the roasted squash and the crisped pancetta back into the skillet, gently tossing to combine. Add the cooked pasta straight into the skillet.
Pour in about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and the 1/4 cup heavy cream or the 2 tablespoons mascarpone if using, then sprinkle in the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Toss everything together over low heat until the sauce clings to the pasta, adding more pasta water a little at a time if it seems dry. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Finish with a little extra grated Parmesan and the chopped parsley for color. If you like, add a few extra torn sage leaves on top.
Serve warm right away. A good trick is to let it sit a minute off the heat so the sauce thickens, but dont overheat or the cream will break.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.