Baked Feta Butternut Pasta (Print-Friendly Format)
Creamy butternut squash and feta pasta with garlic and crispy sage—easy autumn comfort in every bite.
# Ingredients You’ll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 large butternut squash (approximately 5 cups), peeled and cubed
02 -
1 block feta cheese (225 grams)
03 -
500 grams pasta (rotini, orzo, or ditalini)
→ Oils and Seasonings
04 -
120 millilitres extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
05 -
2 large pinches kosher salt (about 2.5 millilitres)
06 -
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
07 -
Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
→ Aromatics and Garnish
08 -
10 fresh sage leaves, finely minced
09 -
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
10 -
15 millilitres hot honey (or regular honey), plus more as desired
# How to Make It:
01 -
Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss butternut squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Arrange in a baking dish, placing the feta block at the centre. Drizzle feta with additional olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using. Add a few more turns of freshly cracked black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
02 -
After 30 minutes, gently shift the butternut squash to prevent sticking, avoiding disturbance of the feta. Increase oven temperature to 230°C and continue roasting for 5–10 minutes until the feta is lightly browned.
03 -
While the squash and feta roast, cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 475 millilitres of the pasta cooking water before draining.
04 -
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Immediately add minced garlic, minced sage, and honey, stirring into the hot mixture. Add the cooked pasta with 240 millilitres of reserved pasta water. Toss to combine, adding more pasta water gradually if needed for creaminess. Adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, and additional honey to taste.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
Reserve extra pasta water to loosen the sauce as desired for a silky final texture.
02 -
Use quality feta in brine for optimal flavour and creaminess.