Italian · Vegetarian
Squash linguine
A simple yet elegant pasta dish featuring roasted butternut squash blended into a creamy sauce with crispy sage. This autumn-inspired meal showcases the natural sweetness of squash with minimal ingredients for maximum flavor.
The Method
Instructions
First things first, let's preheat your oven to a toasty 200C if you're using a regular oven, or 180C fan if you've got a fan oven, which will help everything cook evenly. If you're on gas, set it to gas mark 6 . While the oven is warming up, grab your butternut squash and garlic cloves and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle them generously with olive oil, making sure each piece gets a nice coating so they roast up beautifully. Give everything a little toss or spread out evenly so the garlic doesn't get buried. Pop the tray into the oven and roast for about 35 to 40 minutes , or until the squash is really soft and tender. You'll know it's ready when you can easily pierce it with a fork and the garlic has mellowed into something sweet and fragrant. Don't forget to season with a pinch of salt and pepper once it's out of the oven.
While the squash and garlic are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your linguine pasta according to the package instructions. Usually, this means boiling it for around 8 to 10 minutes until it's perfectly al dente , tender but with a little bite. Once cooked, drain the pasta, but here's a little trick: save about 400ml of that starchy cooking water. It's magic for turning the roasted squash into a silky, smooth sauce.
Now for the fun part. Pour the roasted squash and garlic into a blender or grab your stick blender, and add the reserved cooking water bit by bit while you blend. This will give you a luscious, creamy sauce without any cream , just pure comforting squash flavor and a beautiful texture that clings to the pasta.
Next, heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Toss in your fresh sage leaves and fry them gently until they become crisp and fragrant , you'll hear them sizzle and they'll turn a beautiful golden brown. This doesn't take long, so keep a close eye on them. Once crispy, lift the sage out and let it drain on some kitchen paper so it stays crunchy.
Finally, tip the drained linguine and your velvety squash sauce into the frying pan. Warm everything together gently over medium heat for a couple of minutes, giving it a good stir so the pasta soaks up all that delicious sauce. Once everything is heated through and smelling amazing, serve it up and scatter those crispy sage leaves on top for a lovely crunchy finish. Enjoy your cozy, comforting plate of squash linguine!
While the squash and garlic are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your linguine pasta according to the package instructions. Usually, this means boiling it for around 8 to 10 minutes until it's perfectly al dente , tender but with a little bite. Once cooked, drain the pasta, but here's a little trick: save about 400ml of that starchy cooking water. It's magic for turning the roasted squash into a silky, smooth sauce.
Now for the fun part. Pour the roasted squash and garlic into a blender or grab your stick blender, and add the reserved cooking water bit by bit while you blend. This will give you a luscious, creamy sauce without any cream , just pure comforting squash flavor and a beautiful texture that clings to the pasta.
Next, heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Toss in your fresh sage leaves and fry them gently until they become crisp and fragrant , you'll hear them sizzle and they'll turn a beautiful golden brown. This doesn't take long, so keep a close eye on them. Once crispy, lift the sage out and let it drain on some kitchen paper so it stays crunchy.
Finally, tip the drained linguine and your velvety squash sauce into the frying pan. Warm everything together gently over medium heat for a couple of minutes, giving it a good stir so the pasta soaks up all that delicious sauce. Once everything is heated through and smelling amazing, serve it up and scatter those crispy sage leaves on top for a lovely crunchy finish. Enjoy your cozy, comforting plate of squash linguine!
Pairs Well With
