This butternut squash pasta recipe is wholeheartedly my favourite version I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot! It’s hot as hell in Australia during the summer months, but this butternut squash pasta helps me live vicariously through the northern hemisphere no matter the season. This is really my idea of the perfect, autumnal pasta.

It’s creamy without feeling ultra heavy, and the sauce is layered with flavour thanks to the sage, rosemary, garlic, squash, stock, and a little smack of tomato paste that cuts through the sweetness of the squash (which I can sometimes find a bit sickly on its own). The crispy pancetta is the metaphorical cherry on the cake.

There’s something incredibly comforting about eating very small pasta, and this is one of those recipes that makes butternut squash pasta feel like a proper autumn hug in a bowl rather than just another creamy sauce situation. Ditalini is a firm favourite of mine whether I’m making pasta or my green chicken minestrone, especially because it’s so easy to work into a one-pot type of dish.

If you’re as obsessed with squash pasta as I am, my pumpkin fettuccine with brown butter, sage and goat’s cheese is another favourite.

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Pasta

One pot, minimal fuss: The pasta cooks straight in the stock with the squash, so you get a properly silky, starchy sauce without a separate pot of boiling water.
Balanced, not sickly: A spoonful of tomato paste cuts through the natural sweetness of the squash, so it reads savoury and comforting rather than one-note.
Textural contrast: There’s crispy pancetta, sage-infused fat, and mascarpone-and-Parmigiano creaminess all in one bowl.
Easily adaptable: Swap the pasta shape, make it vegetarian, or use pumpkin instead of butternut squash (see substitutions below).

Ingredients You’ll Need

This butternut squash pasta recipe comes together with a surprisingly small number of ingredients. Here’s a look at what you’ll need:

Butternut squash – Peel and cut the squash into roughly even cubes so they roast at the same rate. Roasting the squash first helps bring out its natural sweetness and gives it a lightly caramelised flavour.
Herbs – Fresh rosemary is roasted with the squash, while sage is cooked in the rendered pancetta fat. Together, they give the pasta a cosy, autumnal flavour. It’s a combination I also love in my casoncelli di zucca with brown butter and sage.
Olive oil – You’ll need a little for roasting the squash and an extra drizzle for finishing the pasta before serving. I don’t recommend using a different oil. We want the rich, peppery, floral notes that olive oil brings.
Smoked pancetta – Use pancetta cut into chunky cubes rather than thin slices. Cooking it slowly renders out the fat and leaves you with crispy pieces to scatter over the finished pasta. Don’t discard the rendered fat! It becomes the flavourful base for the sauce.
Garlic – Fresh garlic adds plenty of savoury flavour. I like to mince or finely grate it so it melts seamlessly into the sauce.
Tomato paste – Just a tablespoon adds depth and acidity, helping balance the natural sweetness of the butternut squash. Let it cook for a minute or two until it darkens slightly for the best flavour.
Ditalini pasta – I love ditalini here because the tiny pasta shape cooks beautifully right in the stock and makes every spoonful extra comforting. If you can’t find it, another small pasta shape such as orzo, macaroni, farfalle, or lumache will work.
Chicken stock – The pasta cooks directly in the stock rather than a separate pot of water, allowing it to absorb plenty of flavour while its starch helps create the silky sauce. Keep a little water nearby in case you need extra liquid as the pasta cooks.
Mascarpone – This is what makes the finished butternut squash pasta creamy and luxurious without needing a heavy cream-based sauce.
Parmigiano Reggiano – Finely grate the cheese so it melts easily into the warm pasta. For the best flavour and texture, I recommend freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano rather than pre-grated cheese.

How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta with Crispy Pancetta

This pasta looks impressive, but it’s simple to prepare, especially when you prep the ingredients while the squash roasts. Here’s an overview of how it all comes together:

1. Prepare the squash

Toss the cubed squash and rosemary with oil and a pinch of salt. Then, roast it in the oven just until it’s fork-tender and lightly caramelised.

2. Cook the pancetta

While the squash roasts, add the pancetta to a cold pan and warm it over low heat. Cook the pancetta gently until the fat renders and the pancetta crisps. Then, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain, and reserve the fat in the pan.

3. Combine ingredients

Increase the heat and add the sage leaves, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan, cooking just until the tomato paste darkens in colour and the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let it burn! Add the ditalini pasta, roasted squash, stock, and a generous pinch of salt.

4. Cook

Cover the pan, and cook until the pasta is al dente. Check on the pan frequently and add more water as needed if the pasta is drying out.

5. Add cheese

Remove the pan from the heat, and stir through the mascarpone and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover and let the pan sit for a few minutes so the cheese melts properly.

6. Serve

Top the pasta with the crispy pancetta, a drizzle of olive oil, and a crack of black pepper. Enjoy warm!

Serving Suggestions

This butternut squash pasta is rich enough to be the whole show, but I like to serve it with something sharp or leafy alongside to cut through the creaminess, such as a simple rocket salad with lemon and olive oil or a crunchy green salad. A loaf of sourdough bread for mopping up the sauce is never a bad idea either.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce back up. The sauce thickens quite a bit once chilled. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one, as the mascarpone-based sauce can split once thawed.

FAQs

Can I make this butternut squash pasta ahead of time?

You can roast the squash and crisp the pancetta up to a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge, then finish the dish just before serving so the pasta and sauce come together fresh.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes! Leave out the pancetta and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. You’ll lose some of the smoky, salty contrast, so I’d season a little more generously and maybe finish with some crispy sage leaves or toasted breadcrumbs for texture instead.

Can I use pre-cubed or frozen butternut squash?

Pre-cubed fresh squash is fine and will save you some time. Frozen squash tends to hold more water, so roast it a little longer to help it caramelise rather than steam.

Ingredients

450 g butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 tbsp olive oil
200 g smoked pancetta cut into chunky cubes
Several sage leaves
2 garlic cloves minced/grated
1 tbsp tomato paste
320 g ditalini pasta
500 ml chicken stock
100 g mascarpone
25 g parmigiano reggiano finely grated

Instructions

Start by roasting the squash. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan forced. Place the cubed squash and rosemary onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with a big pinch of salt. Toss it all together and cook for approx 30 minutes until nicely roasted.
Meanwhile, add the pancetta to a cold pan and place over a low heat. Cook gently over 10-15 minutes until the fat renders from the pancetta and it crisps up. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving the fat.
Increase the heat slightly and add the sage leaves to the pancetta fat, along with the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste has darkened in colour and the garlic is fragrant, then add the ditalini pasta followed by the roasted squash and chicken stock, along with a good seasoning of salt to taste.
Cover and cook for approx 6-8 minutes (check the cooking times of your brand of pasta) – the pasta should absorb most of the chicken stock by the end of this cook time. If for any reason the pasta seems to be drying out, just add splashes of water as needed.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the mascarpone and grated parmigiano reggiano. Cover the pan and let it sit for a few minutes.
Serve topped with crispy pancetta, a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper.

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Butternut Squash Pasta with Crispy Pancetta

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Pasta

Ingredients You’ll Need