Squashio e Pepe
- July 13, 2025
- 0 Comments
Squashio e Pepe
This is my butternut squash and cacio e pepe mashup! It’s a smooth, cheesy, rich sauce that’s deceptively easy to make. There are two ways to make this depending on how much time you have. You will get the most flavor by roasting a whole butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and if you have the time I recommend this to get the richest taste. But my favorite shortcut is to use a bag of frozen butternut squash! Pop it in the microwave and dinner is ready in 15 minutes. I’ve included instructions for both methods in the recipe. I recommend using a microplane to grate the cheese so it melts easily.
Ingredients
Method
- If you are roasting the squash, preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Note: if you’re having trouble cutting the squash, microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes first to soften the skin. Place the squash on the baking sheet skin side down and rub the top side with the oil, salt, and a dash of pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it is tender enough to easily pierce with a skin. Once it is cool enough to touch, scoop out the flesh and skip to step 3.
- If you are using frozen squash, microwave it according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and begin cooking the pasta.
- Place the cooked squash in a blender along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta water, then blend until smooth. If you’re having trouble blending it, add more water.
- Add about a 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper to a wide saucepan and toast over medium heat just until fragrant, about a minute. Then add in the squash puree and the cheese and mix together until the cheese melts. If the sauce is very thick, add a spoonful of pasta water until it is the right consistency. Taste and add more cheese, salt, or pepper if desired.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the sauce. Add the butter and mix together until the pasta is well coated with sauce, then serve.
Did you make this?
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