Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

This nice pasta sauce has no tomato. It relies on cooked butternut squash for sweetness and thickness. An Italian three-cheese blend is melted in at the end. It's perfect for serving with pasta, or slathering anywhere you'd use a tomato-based sauce.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 102 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 ½ cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
• ⅓ apple, peeled and chopped
• ⅓ cup Italian cheese blend (Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place the squash into a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer the squash until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain excess water. Cooked squash should equal 2 cups.

Step 2

Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, garlic, and apple, stirring frequently, until softened and brown, about 15 minutes. Add butternut squash and chicken broth, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat just to a simmer, and stir in the milk and cheese blend. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has reached desired thickness, 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.