Butternut Squash Pappardelle with Sage and Parmesan (lightened up)

5 from 1 vote

Butternut Squash Pappardelle with Sage and Parmesan (lightened up)

Butternut Squash Pappardelle with Sage and Parmesan is a warm and comforting fall dish that's rich, but not too heavy. This is just as good as the real thing, you won't miss all that butter and heavy cream.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Author: Nisha Kapur

Ingredients

for the pasta

pot of water
8 ounces pappardelle

for the sauce

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 xup fresh sage leaves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes
3 cloves fresh garlic chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 large butternut squash small cubes ~ 7 heaping cups
to taste himalayan pink salt
to taste black pepper
2 cups water
2 tbsp half n half
1/2 cup parmesan cheese you can add more
1/2 reserved pasta water you can add more

for garnish

to taste black pepper
to taste Nutmeg – to taste
to taste parmesan cheese
few leaved reserved from earlier sage

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta and cover it with a lid. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low until we are ready to cook the pasta.
Begin by trimming the butternut squash.
Chop into small cubes.
Chop the garlic and onion, and set aside fresh sage.
Heat up a cast-iron pot on medium heat, add the butter.
Once the butter slightly browns, add the sage. Fry for about 30 - 45 seconds.
Remove the sage from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add extra virgin olive oil.
Add the crushed red pepper, garlic, and onion. Cook for about 1 minute until translucent.
Once translucent.
Add the butternut squash - roughly 7 heaping cups. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook the squash on medium heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Cover with a lid and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat.
In the meantime, grate some Parmesan Cheese. Set aside.
Check on the butternut squash... this is what you should have... fork tender butternut squash.
Add 2 cups of water and stir.
Now add the pappardelle to the boiling hot water. Season with salt. Cook 7 minutes until al dente.
Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the squash on low.
This is what you should have... creamy butternut squash.
Reserve about 3 cups of butternut squash for later use, you can use it for soup. We will not be using all of it for this dish.
Once the pasta is done, add it to the butternut squash sauce. Make sure you reserve about 1 cup of pasta water for later.
Top with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Toss.
Top with most of the sage reserving a few pieces for later as garnish.
Add half n half and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. You can add more pasta water to thin out the sauce if need be.
Toss. Creamy pasta.
Plate it. Add the pappardelle and top with black pepper, nutmeg, more parmesan cheese and few reserved pieces of fried sage leaves. So good!

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