Butternut Squash Ragu Pasta

As a mom with a toddler, I am always trying to find ways to sneak vegetables into my daughter’s food. My sister taught me this trick: add in butternut squash to your tomato pasta sauce. It adds a nice creaminess and sweetness. This butternut squash ragu pasta is a kid favorite in our family and I hope that it also helps you trick your kids into eating more fiber and veggies!

Butternut Squash Ragu Pasta

Butternut squash adds sweetness to ragu with pasta

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 package pasta
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 butternut squash de-seeded

Ragu Sauce

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 lb Italian sausage
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flake
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup milk

Method

 

Roasted Butternut Squash

1. Cut butternut squash in half length-wise. Remove seeds. Brush flesh of butternut squash with oil. Roast 1/2 butternut squash skin side up in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour. Afterward, allow to cool and remove squash from the skin. Set aside.

Ragu

1. Heat a large pot on high. Sprinkle salt on top of beef. When pan is hot, add in beef and Italian sausage and brown for meat 5 minutes, breaking apart into small pieces. Use a spatula to smash any clumps of meat and break them apart.
2. Then add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes
3. Then add tomato paste, butternut squash, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and crushed red pepper flake.
4. Add in red wine and simmer on medium low heat for 30 minutes.
5. Then add milk and simmer on medium low heat for 30 minutes.
6. Add in roasted squash into the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, or sugar as needed. The sauce should taste savory and slightly sweet.

Cook Pasta with Sauce

1. Boil pasta according to package directions. When pasta is almost cooked through, or al dente, place into the hot butternut squash ragu sauce. Add in a ladle of pasta water. Simmer sauce with pasta for 1-2 minutes.
2. Turn off fire. Add in grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and mix gently into the pasta. Serve immediately.