Butternut Squash Pasta
Butternut squash and pasta are a match made in heaven, and we are here today to celebrate that fact. A lot of recipes roast the butternut squash, others puree it and make it into a sauce. For me, the easiest way to create butternut squash pasta is to pan fry the butternut squash. I do this for two reasons:
Same great flavour as roasting. All in the same pan, so less washing up.
Alongside the butternut squash we’ll add a few more goodies (which I’ll get to in just a sec), but for now here’s the first steps for prepping the pasta:
Brown Butter Pasta
Alrighty, let’s talk about butter. Which is honestly my favourite thing to do 🤣
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is essentially melted butter that’s been slowly cooked down until it turns from a lemony yellow colour to a deep brown colour. Brown butter has a rich, sweet and nutty flavour which is completely different to regular melted butter.
How do you brown butter?
Keep the pan on a medium heat (no higher). Keep gently stirring the melted butter until it starts to foam. Continue cooking and stirring past this point until you see tiny black specs forming. These are just milk solids. The butter is browned when it releases a nutty aroma and turns from a light brown to a slightly darker brown.
How to make Brown Butter Pasta (quick summary)
Tips for Brown Butter Pasta
Starchy Pasta Water
This is what will turn your browned butter into a creamy/glossy sauce. Just before draining the pasta you’ll want to scoop out a cup of the starchy pasta water. When adding to the butter, quickly whisk to emulsify. The starch molecules are what help the emulsification and helps turn the sauce slightly creamy, as opposed to greasy.
Browned, not melted
Important to fully brown the butter, don’t just melt it. The flavour difference between brown butter and just melted butter is huge!
Don’t rush!
Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat to speed up the process. If at all the butter starts smelling as if it’s burning, turn down the heat immediately.
How to serve Brown Butter Pasta
You can either sprinkle over goat’s cheese whilst the pasta is in the pan, give it one final toss and serve. Or, sprinkle over individual portions. You don’t want to completely mix it through because it melts and goes gloopy. For individual portions squeeze over fresh lemon juice and sprinkle over your (crushed) toasted walnuts. Done and dusted! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this brown butter pasta shall we?!
How to make Brown Butter Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)
If you’re after another easy and delicious butternut squash recipe definitely check out my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta! For another gorgeous browned butter recipe head over to my Browned Butter Lemon Baby Potatoes and Brown Butter Ravioli Sauce! For more simple and tasty pasta recipes give these a ganders too:
Simply Delicious Pasta Recipes
Broccoli Pesto Pasta Gorgonzola Pasta with Leek, Pancetta and Mushroom Creamy One Pot Pasta with Asparagus Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta ALL PASTA RECIPES!
If you loved this Browned Butter Pasta Recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
