Creamy Butternut Squash and Pasta Bake

This butternut squash and pasta bake combines roasted squash, crispy bacon, seasonal greens, and a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce for an elevated version of a classic mac and cheese dinner.

Growing up, I LOVED casseroles. They are the ultimate comfort food… and I’m a big fan of creamy cheesy goodness!

So, it made for a very, very sad day when I realized that Mr. Crumbs wasn’t a fan of casseroles. Goodbye comfort food.

Seriously? I thought to myself. What person doesn’t like casseroles?!

I took casseroles out of my meal plans and worked around the need for creamy pasta dishes. They didn’t seem that healthy anyway…until I learned how to make real food.

But then, it was game on! We eased back in with Stovetop Mac and Cheese, spiced it up with Jalapeño Popper Casserole, and made a real food version of Hamburger Helper.

Now I’m happy to announce that casseroles are back on the menu in full force with this butternut squash and pasta bake!

WHY MAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA BAKE?

Don’t let the boring name fool you. With a deliciously rich creamy butternut squash pasta sauce and BACON, this butternut squash pasta bake is the epitome of comfort, real food style! You’ll also love that it’s:

Made with simple ingredients. There’s nothing canned or boxed or “just add water” about this casserole.
A way to let seasonal veggies shine. Butternut squash and collard greens are a great way to eat seasonally when it’s colder outside.
An elevated mac and cheese. Sometimes it’s easier to win your family over to a new recipe if it has familiar elements, like pasta, cheese, and bacon.
Slap-yo-mama delicious! You heard me mention bacon and cheese, right? Those plus the thick, velvety sauce that coats everything makes for an amazing meal.

Ingredients image collage: butternut squash, greens, pasta, bacon, cheese, rosemary.

CREAMY BUTTERNUT PASTA BAKE INGREDIENTS

You actually need quite a few ingredients for creamy butternut pasta bake, but don’t let that scare you! It’s a multitasking meal, so while one thing is going, you’re doing something else. And it all comes together for a delicious, hearty, filling meal!

Butternut squash. You can use any type of winter squash in this dish. I love butternut squash because it is naturally a bit sweeter. It’s also one of my favorite winter vegetables that I try to work into my monthly meal plans when the weather cools.
Extra virgin olive oil. For roasting the butternut squash.
Collard greens. Collards are CHEAP y’all. And packed with nutrients. I wonder why we don’t eat them more often! You can also substitute kale if that’s what you have on hand – it won’t take as long to cook.
Pasta. I originally made this recipe with whole wheat pasta, but you can use brown rice pasta, lentil pasta, or any gluten-free pasta if needed.
Bacon. Don’t skimp on the bacon. This is where the flavor really pops.
Cheese. I used parmesan cheese for this dish. Shred your own and use the rind to use up all that cheese!
Onion and garlic. These add plenty of flavor to the finished dish.
Butter. To help make the rich, creamy sauce.
Flour. I used whole wheat flour, but all purpose flour or gluten free flour will work too.
Milk. The liquid for the sauce. I used whole milk for this butternut squash pasta but use whatever milk you have on hand.
Seasonings. Dried rosemary, nutmeg, and paprika for flavor. Cayenne or red pepper flakes are optional but very good, and my heat-sensitive child didn’t even notice! And finally, salt and pepper to taste.

If you’re going to use salt, make sure it’s a good one like Ava Jane’s Kitchen which doesn’t have microplastics! You can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt right now (just pay shipping and handling!).

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PASTA BAKE

This butternut squash and pasta bake takes about an hour from start to finish, but you could easily make it ahead of time and reheat it for dinner if it’s a busy night.

Step 1. Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place peeled and cubed butternut squash in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Roasted butternut squash on a baking sheet.

Step 2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a pinch of salt for flavor. Cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. When done, drain and set aside.

Step 3. Cook the bacon until crispy in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and place it in a medium bowl. Leave the grease in the pan and reduce the heat to low.

Step 4. Sauté the collard greens, onions, and garlic in the bacon grease for about 30 minutes until tender. Remove them from the pan and add them to the bowl with the bacon.

Butternut squash and pasta bake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Step 5. Add the cooked squash to the bowl with the bacon and greens mixture. Gently toss to combine without squishing the squash. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.

Step 6. In the same pan you used for the bacon and greens, make your butternut squash sauce. Melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture is a medium golden brown. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and bubbly, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the seasonings and Parmesan. Remove from heat.

Step 7. Layer the ingredients in a 9×13 baking dish or Dutch oven: cooked pasta, squash mixture, then pour the cream sauce over the entire dish. If needed, pour up to an additional cup of half-and-half or whole milk over the top to ensure the entire mixture is covered with sauce.

Step 8. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.

Butternut squash pasta bake in a baking dish covered with shredded Parmesan cheese.

PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT TIPS

Multitask intentionally. This butternut squash and pasta recipe has lots of moving parts, but if you get the squash started and then take it one component at a time, it’s easy to keep it moving forward and get all of the ingredients ready to go. You can also prepare the squash, bacon, and greens ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to make the sauce and pasta and assemble everything.

Make extra. If you use a large butternut squash and up to a pound of collard greens, you can get away with splitting this butternut squash and pasta into two baking dishes, which means you get at least one night off from cooking! Bake them both right away and have plenty of leftovers, or cover and freeze one for later.

Store the leftovers. One pan of pasta and butternut squash usually feeds my family for two nights. You can let the baking dish cool completely and just throw some plastic wrap over the top before refrigerating the whole thing overnight or store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Add protein. Cooked shredded chicken like my All Purpose Chicken complements the rest of the flavors and bulks up this pasta with butternut even more.

Swap out for sweet potato. If your people aren’t squash fans, but you really want to try this dish, try making it with sweet potato. Cut the roasting time to 25 minutes for tender but not mushy sweet potato.

Butternut squash pasta bake in a baking dish.

PASTA AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH FAQS

Is butternut squash pasta bake vegan?

No. While you can make this butternut pasta vegetarian and gluten-free, this recipe isn’t vegan. You need milk and cheese to make the rich, creamy sauce.

If you’d like a vegan butternut recipe, try my Butternut Squash Soup.

Does this pasta and butternut squash recipe freeze well?

Yes! In fact, if you use a large butternut squash, add up to a pound of collard greens, and a touch more milk in your sauce, you can easily split your recipe into two baking dishes. Cover and freeze one for later!