Description

A cozy fall pasta dish featuring roasted butternut squash and melted feta cheese tossed with pasta and finished with aromatic sage and garlic. Perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining!

Ingredients

For the Roasted Base:

1 large butternut squash (about 2-3 lbs), peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
1 block (8 oz) high-quality feta cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, but I love the little kick!)

For the Pasta & Finishing:

1 lb rigatoni, penne, or shells (something that holds sauce well!)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried sage)
1-2 tablespoons hot honey (optional, but OH MY GOODNESS it’s good!)
1/2 cup pasta cooking water, reserved
Fresh cracked black pepper for serving
Extra feta crumbles for garnish

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Instructions

1. Prep and Preheat (5 minutes) Set your oven to 400°F.

2. Prepare the Squash (10 minutes)

2. Prepare the Squash (10 minutes) Peel and cube your butternut squash into chunks about the size of dice. I microwave the whole squash for 2 minutes first because peeling it raw is basically torture. Nobody has time for that on a Wednesday night.

3. Set Up the Baking Dish (3 minutes) Dump the squash cubes in your dish and plop the feta block right in the middle. Drizzle oil everywhere, sprinkle salt and pepper, then those red pepper flakes if you want a tiny kick.

4. First Roast (30 minutes) Stick it in the oven for 30 minutes. The squash should look soft and the feta should be getting warm and slightly puffy.

5. Boost the Heat (5-10 minutes) Crank it up to 450°F for another 5-10 minutes until the feta has golden spots. This is where the magic happens – don’t skip this part or you’ll hate yourself later.

6. Cook the Pasta (10-12 minutes) While that’s finishing up, boil your pasta until it’s just barely done. Save a cup of the pasta water before you drain it – you’ll need this starchy goodness.

7. The Magic Moment (2 minutes) Pull the dish out and immediately dump in the minced garlic and chopped sage. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon and watch the feta turn into the creamiest sauce ever.

8. Bring It All Together (3 minutes) Add the pasta and toss. Pour in pasta water bit by bit until it looks creamy but not soupy. Drizzle honey on top if you’re feeling adventurous.

Notes

Prep shortcut: Buy pre-cut squash from the store – life’s too short

Don’t crowd the pan: Spread everything out or it’ll steam instead of roast

Good feta matters: The cheap stuff gets weird and grainy when heated

Dried sage hack: Add it with the oil before roasting for deeper flavor

Never rinse pasta: You need that starch to make everything stick together

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Roasting, Boiling
Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired