Creamy Butternut Squash Ricotta Pasta with Bone Broth is the cozy weeknight pasta you’ll want on repeat. Roasted butternut squash blends with ricotta, bone broth, garlic, and fresh sage to create a silky-smooth sauce that’s equal parts nourishing and comforting. The flavor is gently sweet, savory, and herbal - perfect for fall and winter evenings. Tossed with tender pasta and finished with parmesan and a little heat from red pepper flakes, it’s an effortless, feel-good meal that tastes restaurant-worthy with minimal work. Enjoy!
Butternut squash is the best - for more yummy butternut squash recipes try my butternut squash beans or my butternut squash fries.
If you're a pasta lover you need to try my sweet potato harissa pasta or my carrot feta pasta.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Cozy + creamy comfort. A velvety sauce made from roasted squash, garlic, and herbs that feels rich yet light.
Nutrient-packed. Loaded with fiber, vitamin A, and antioxidants to keep you satisfied + nourished.
Bright + balanced flavor. Lemon, sage, and parmesan bring freshness and depth in every bite.
Weeknight-friendly. Simple ingredients come together easily — great for meal prep or quick dinners.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash – Creates a naturally sweet, creamy base for the sauce.
- Dried thyme – Adds earthy, cozy flavor.
- Olive oil – Helps caramelize the squash + aromatics.
- Shallot – Adds mild, sweet onion flavor.
- Garlic – Builds savory depth.
- Fresh sage – Infuses warm, fall herbiness.
- Bone broth or vegetable broth – Thins the sauce + adds flavor.
- Lemon juice – Brightens and balances richness.
- Ricotta – Makes the sauce silky + creamy.
- Pasta – Any shape works.
- Parmesan (optional) – Adds salty, nutty finish.
- Red pepper flakes (optional) – For gentle heat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Butternut squash – Use kabocha, delicata, acorn squash, or canned pumpkin in a pinch.
- Olive oil – Swap with avocado oil or melted butter.
- Shallot – ¼ of a sweet onion would work.
- Fresh sage – Substitute with dried sage (¼–½ teaspoon)
- Bone broth / vegetable broth – Either works; broth can be replaced with water plus extra seasoning.
- Pasta – Any pasta shape works; use gluten-free if needed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step
Cook veggies.
Step 2
Blend together sauce.
Step 3
Toss sauce with pasta, add toppings and serve.
Storage instructions
You can store the extra pasta in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Pro-Tips›
If you want to make this recipe gluten free use your favorite gluten free pasta. I used Jovial foods which I love.
You can serve this recipe with any protein source or on its own. It tastes super yummy with chicken sausage.
Recipe FAQS
Butternut squash is rich in vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and fiber, which support immune function, gut health, and healthy skin and eyes. Its complex carbohydrates provide steady energy, while its potassium content supports heart health.
Ricotta can be a healthy choice because it’s rich in high-quality protein, calcium, and beneficial fats that support muscle, bone, and hormone health. It’s also typically easier to digest than many other cheeses.
To keep the recipe vegetarian use vegetable broth instead of bone broth.
Other pasta recipes to try
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Creamy Butternut Squash Ricotta Pasta with Bone Broth
Ingredients
- ~4 cups cubed butternut squash - from 1 medium butternut squash slightly more squash will be okay
- ½ cup ricotta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 shallot - peeled with ends cut off
- 4-8 cloves garlic adjust to your garlic preference, I used 7
- 2 sprigs fresh sage - about 2 tablespoons of tightly packed unchopped leaves
- 1 - 1 ½ cups bone broth or vegetable broth Adjust to your thickness preference - I used 1 cup and found it perfect.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (from about ¼ lemon)
Other ingredients
- 16 oz cooked pasta from a 16 oz bag of dried pasta
- ¼-1/2 cup grated parmesan optional
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add butternut squash to a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Add sage, shallot and garlic cloves to the same sheet pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes - until everything is cooked through and soft. Remove the sage after ~20 minutes to prevent burning.
- Add cooked squash, garlic, shallot and sage to a blender along with the bone broth, ricotta and lemon. Blend until smooth. Taste and add additional salt/pepper if needed. I added a tiny pinch of salt and pepper just to bring out the flavors more.
- In a large skillet over low heat mix together the pasta sauce and cooked pasta. Top off with parmesan and red pepper flakes if using. Divide out pasta and serve.
Alisa says
Has anybody tried freezing this? Will it freeze well?
June Vonderlieth says
Recipe sounds great, but you give no amounts for the ricotta
Kristi says
Hey June, the ricotta is listed after the butternut squash in the recipe card
Janine Marie Vose says
I missed the amount of ricotta for the sauce.
Kristi says
thanks for letting me know! I just updated the blog post - should be 1/2 cup