Here’s a creamy-dreamy weeknight-friendly kabocha squash pasta made from a few tasty and simple ingredients.

This vegetarian pasta is a vibrant and comforting meal and a brilliant way to camouflage veggies in your pasta sauce too!

kabocha squash pasta with fork

Check out our best pasta recipe collection!

Oven roasted Kabocha squash meets fresh ricotta (or soy ricotta), parmesan cheese (or dairy-free parmesan), and thyme leaves melding into a creamy sauce that is perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta.

This one is a simple yet fulfilling kabocha squash pasta dish you can make with a few simple ingredients.

If you don’t have Kabocha, you can easily replace it with another type of winter squash, such as butternut squash or delicata squash.

You can expect familiar flavors and a rich and creamy texture that make this pasta dish irresistible.

Ingredients

Ingredients for winter squash pasta

Kabocha squash

With its meaty orange flesh, kabocha squash is perfect to be turned into a creamy sauce.

You can substitute butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, and most varieties of winter squash for kabocha squash.

Parmesan cheese

Grated parmesan cheese balances the sweetness of the squash and adds umami and taste.

You can substitute a dairy-free parmesan alternative for parmesan.

Ricotta cheese

Ricotta adds creaminess and softens the flavor of the squash. You can substitute our soy ricotta or heavy cream (or dairy-free heavy cream) for regular fresh ricotta.

Spaghetti

We use bronze cut spaghetti. However, you can use any other pasta shape. We recommend tagliatelle, farfalle, rigatoni, and linguine and including gluten-free pasta.

Fresh thyme

Fresh thyme leaves are our herb of choice for this recipe. Their delicate aroma melds well with the Kabocha and ricotta. You can replace thyme with fresh parsley or basil.

Pistachio nuts

Pistachio nuts are optional. Their flavor matches well that of the other ingredients in this kabocha squash pasta recipe; they add color and a nice crunch.

You can substitute walnuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts for pistachios.

Salt and pepper

We use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil helps us cook the squash in the oven.

kabocha pasta in a bowl with pistachio nuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out its seeds.

Put it cut side down on a cutting board, then cut off the peel with a sharp knife.

Kabocha with hands and a knife

Chop into chunks roughly the same size, transfer to the baking sheet and toss with olive oil, and salt.

Roast for 30 minutes until fork tender and slightly charred.

roasted kabocha squash cubes

Transfer roasted kabocha squash to a food processor (or blender) and add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and water.

food processor with ingredients for sauce

Blend until you have a smooth and creamy sauce, then transfer it to a large skillet.

You should get consistency between a squash puree and a soup.

kabocha pasta sauce in a skillet

Boil the pasta al dente as per package instructions in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water.

Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce.

Stir and toss on in the squash mixture on medium heat for a minute, adding 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water.

spaghetti and kabocha sauce mixed well

Transfer kabocha squash pasta onto a serving plate and sprinkle with pistachio nuts, thyme leaves, and freshly ground black pepper.

kabocha pasta with fork

Serving suggestions

Serve this creamy kabocha squash pasta as an easy weeknight dinner with a quick green side dish such as:

Serve for special occasions, such as winter holidays and Thanksgiving celebrations. Make it a menu by pairing it with these indulgent sides and desserts:

Pair it with a fall dessert made with seasonal fruits, such as:

Variations

Butternut squash pasta

butternut squash pasta

You can make a similar pasta dish substituting butternut squash for the kabocha squash.

Check out our butternut squash pasta recipe.

Storage

It’s best if you eat kabocha squash pasta straight after you make it. The sauce thickens up quickly, and if you have leftovers, you’ll need to add quite a bit more water to make it creamy again.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24-36 hours.

More winter squash recipes

If you love cooking with winter squash, get some fresh inspiration from these weeknight-friendly dishes:

  • Roasted butternut squash: the quickest way to enjoy tender wedges of butternut squash
  • Risotto with butternut squash authentic Italian flavors in a creamy, dreamy risotto dish
  • Creamy kabocha squash soup: easy-to-find ingredients in a vibrant soup
  • Easy roasted kabocha squash, no peeling needed for this healthy vegetable side!

More pasta recipes

For more 30-minute pasta ideas, take a peek at these family-friendly pasta favorites:

kabocha squash pasta

Kabocha Squash Pasta

5 from 2 votes
Here's a creamy-dreamy weeknight-friendly kabocha squash pasta made from a few tasty and simple ingredients.
This vegetarian pasta is a vibrant and comforting meal and a brilliant way to camouflage veggies in your pasta sauce too!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American Italian

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients 

  • ¾ pound pasta we use spaghetti

FOR ROASTED KABOCHA

  • ¾ pound kabocha squash peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

FOR THE SAUCE

  • cup ricotta cheese or our soy ricotta*
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese or dairy-free parmesan**
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 twists black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 3 sprigs thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons pistachio nuts

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Cut the squash in half and scoop out its seeds.
    Put it cut side down on a cutting board, then cut off the peel with a sharp knife.
    peeling kabocha squash
  • Chop into chunks roughly the same size, transfer to the baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt.
    Roast for 30 minutes until fork tender and slightly charred.
    roasted kabocha squash cubes
  • Transfer roasted kabocha squash to a food processor and add the ricotta cheeseparmesan cheesesalt, pepper, and water.
    food processor with ingredients for sauce
  • Blend until you have a smooth and creamy sauce, then transfer it to a large skillet.
    You should get consistency between a squash puree and a soup.
    kabocha pasta sauce in a skillet
  • Boil the pasta al dente in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water.
    Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce.
    Toss on medium heat for a minute, adding ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water.
    spaghetti and kabocha sauce mixed well
  • Transfer kabocha squash pasta onto a serving plate and sprinkle with pistachio nutsthyme leaves, and freshly ground black pepper.
    kabocha pasta with fork

Video

Kabocha Squash is perfect with pasta!

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for one portion of kabocha squash pasta out of four.
*Check out our soy ricotta recipe.
**Check out our dairy-free parmesan recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Potassium: 626mg, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1615IU, Vitamin B6: 0.4mg, Vitamin C: 12mg, Vitamin E: 1mg, Vitamin K: 5µg, Calcium: 359mg, Folate: 44µg, Iron: 2mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 77mg, Zinc: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @nicoandlouise on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

If you liked this fall-friendly pasta dish, you might also enjoy:

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”ciNo2ZsX” upload-date=”2022-10-12T05:47:03.000Z” name=”Kabocha Squash Pasta.mov” description=”Here’s a creamy-dreamy weeknight-friendly kabocha squash pasta made from a few tasty and simple ingredients.

This vegetarian pasta is a vibrant and comforting meal and a brilliant way to camouflage veggies in your pasta sauce too!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]


Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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