Cool weather calls for hot pasta, so try this butternut squash bolognese! It’s a 30-minute sauce made with lean ground meat, vegetables, crushed tomatoes, and of course, some roasted butternut squash. It’s savory but a touch sweet, and plenty hearty. This is one of those pasta dishes that tastes good the next day too, as the sauce only continues to get better.
Equipment needed for butternut squash bolognese
Here’s some things you need to make this dish:
- A dutch oven – I used this to cook the meat and make the sauce, but you can also use a large pot of any sort. I have one from Le Creuset.
- Sheet pan – to roast your butternut squash. I use Williams Sonoma Goldtouch pans.
- A large pot – to boil pasta, separately.
- A strainer – to strain your noodles.
- A cutting board – to chop your vegetables.
- A sharp knife
- An immersion blender – to blend the sauce. You can also transfer it to a regular blender in batches.
Ingredients needed for butternut squash bolognese
Here’s what to add to your grocery list:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey – you can also use ground pork, which is more common for a typical bolognese. Both are tasty!
- 1 medium butternut squash – enough to provide about two cups of cubed squash.
- large carrots – although baby carrots work fine.
- celery stalks – I’ve also made this recipe with leeks, which was also delicious.
- garlic cloves
- fresh rosemary
- olive oil
- dry white wine – like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay.
- 15 ounces of crushed tomatoes – get one without extra ingredients if you can.
- a large yellow onion
- nutmeg
- oregano – fresh or dried
- low sodium chicken broth
- whole milk – feel free to use dairy alternatives. I have used this nutpods almond and coconut half and half in many soups and pastas and it’s a great swap (it just tastes like cream).
- 1 lb pasta noodles – your choice! I like to pick a Fusili noodle or something short.
- salt and pepper
- shaved Parmesan for serving – or Romano!
How to make butternut squash bolognese
Let’s make it together!
Step 1
Roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the cubed butternut squash on the pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Toss the squash until well coated. Place the sheet pan in the center rack of the oven and roast the squash for 15 minutes. Bring the pan out to toss the squash, and then roast for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 2
Brown the meat. In the meantime, heat a Dutch oven on medium and add the 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the ground turkey and brown it all over, about 3-4 minutes. Once the pink has disappeared, scoop the meat from the Dutch oven to a small bowl to set aside. You can leave remaining liquids in the pot.
Step 3
Cook the vegetables. While it’s still hot, add the rest of the oil and add the chopped celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they soften, around 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg, oregano and rosemary along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in the white wine and cook until it’s almost completely reduced, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4
Add the crushed tomatoes and cook on high for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the liquid has reduced. Then add the chicken broth and the softened butternut squash. Remove the rosemary sprig.
Step 5
With an immersion blender, gently pulse the mixture just enough to crush the squash into the sauce. You can leave chunks if you prefer. Add the ground turkey back to the pot, and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 10 minutes to thicken. In the meantime, boil your pasta noodles in a separate pot and strain when al dente.
Step 6
Assemble! Pour the milk into the sauce and stir until combined. Serve with the noodles immediately and top with shaved Parmesan.
Storage and Leftovers
This butternut squash bolognese tastes really good the next day thanks to the flavor melding that continues as it rests. My favorite thing to do is to just store the dutch oven in the fridge and then reheat the sauce on the stovetop for a few minutes over medium heat (stirring occasionally). I keep the noodles separately in the fridge.
Other recipes to try
If you enjoyed this butternut squash bolognese, here are some other dishes to check out:
Apple Pork Ragu with Pappardelle
Easy Homemade Meatballs for Spaghetti
Leave a Review for this Butternut Squash Bolognese
If you made my butternut squash bolognese and liked it, please leave a star review below with a comment. Feel free to tag me in your instagram stories too: @caroline_hoffman.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.
Butternut Squash Bolognese
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven to make the sauce
- 1 Sheet pan to roast butternut squash
- 1 large pot to boil pasta
- 1 strainer to strain your noodles
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 immersion blender to blend the sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey or ground pork
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed (around 2 cups)
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 celery stalks diced (or swap in leeks)
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- ½ large yellow onion diced
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 lb pasta noodles your choice
- salt and pepper
- shaved Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the cubed butternut squash on the pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Toss the squash until well coated. Place the sheet pan in the center rack of the oven and roast the squash for 15 minutes. Bring the pan out to toss the squash, and then roast for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.1 medium butternut squash
- Brown the meat. In the meantime, heat a Dutch oven on medium and add the 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the ground turkey and brown it all over, about 3-4 minutes. Once the pink has disappeared, scoop the meat from the Dutch oven to a small bowl to set aside. You can leave remaining liquids in the pot.1 lb lean ground turkey, 3 tbsp olive oil
- While it's still hot, add the rest of the oil and add the chopped celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they soften, around 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg, oregano and rosemary along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in the white wine and cook until it's almost completely reduced, about 3-4 minutes.2 large carrots, 3 celery stalks, 2 cloves garlic, 1 sprig rosemary, ⅓ cup dry white wine, ½ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper, ½ large yellow onion
- Add the crushed tomatoes and cook on high for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the liquid has reduced. Then add the chicken broth and the softened butternut squash. Remove the rosemary sprig.15 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- With an immersion blender, gently pulse the mixture just enough to crush the squash into the sauce. You can leave chunks if you prefer. Add the ground turkey back to the pot, and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. In the meantime, boil your pasta noodles in a separate pot and strain when al dente.1 lb pasta noodles, ¼ cup whole milk
- Pour the milk into the sauce and stir until combined. Serve with the noodles immediately and top with shaved Parmesan.shaved Parmesan
Pin this!
