Nobody is ever going to guess there’s butternut squash hiding in this UNBELIEVABLY creamy broccoli alfredo penne skillet! Ready for the dinner table in only 30 minutes with super basic ingredients.
I honestly could eat the contents of this broccoli alfredo penne skillet every.dang.day for the rest of my life, guys.
And definitely all day every Monday.
Sidenote: winter break is kinda a really, really wonderful thing. This is like the first time in the past 5 months I’ve been able to catch my breath and it is AMAZING.
I want to live in a world where there are winter breaks 24/7.
Only if I were to make a request I would request no snow.
So far though Wisconsin hasn’t been paying attention to that valid request of mine.
But let’s talk easy + cozy + carb food already. The faster we talk about it, the sooner we get to actually eating it.
Okay, to start things off I guess I’d better give you the squash disclosure spiel.
So guess what, squash-haters? I have good news. You won’t even be able to taste the butternut squash hanging out in this alfredo.
The only job the squash is doing is a) making that stunning orange color. b) lending an UN-freaking-REAL amount of creaminess to the alfredo sauce.
Honestly, this sauce belongs on anything and probably even everything. Don’t rule anything out until you try it is a good rule to follow.
I won’t mention straws buuuuuuuut…just know the option is there.
Let’s walk through some basic prep for this broccoli alfredo penne.
Roast the butternut squash + broccoli:
Drizzle the vegetables with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper then let the oven take care of business for a good 20 minutes.
Once the veggies are done, set the broccoli aside and throw the butternut squash in a blender.
Make the alfredo sauce:
We’re going to make a basic alfredo sauce right on the stove out of a flour/butter roux, a little garlic for flavor, milk/whipping cream, a pinch of nutmeg, and a handful of Parmesan.
Then throw ALL the sauce over the butternut squash in the blender and vroom it a couple times until the sauce is silky smooth.
Finish up the skillet:
Pour the warm alfredo sauce back into the skillet and add the roasted broccoli + cooked penne to the skillet. Get ready to dive in!!
And obviously you’re about to get hit with a tidal wave of said flavors.
Don’t blame me if your fork just ends up right in the skillet itself.
Forks, fingers, face…it all works and gets the job done, let’s be real.
Try these other comfort food favorites next!!
Watch this alfredo made step-by-step on Google web stories!
Butternut Squash Roasted Broccoli Alfredo Penne Skillet
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 1-in cubed butternut squash
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 oz cooked penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Place butternut squash on one-half of a greased baking sheet and arrange broccoli on other half. Drizzle olive oil over both and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables at 400F 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter then saute garlic in butter 1 minute. Whisk flour into butter, then slowly whisk in cream and milk until smooth. Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in nutmeg and Parmesan.
- Place cooked squash in a blender then pour sauce over top. Blend sauce on high speed until completely smooth. Return to saucepan and stir cooked pasta and roasted broccoli into sauce. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle parsley on top. Enjoy!
For a step-by-step guide to making this recipe, check out the video!
Nutrition
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
It’s never a good idea to read your blog first thing in the morning, because I always crave your gorgeous dishes for breakfast! Not that it’s a bad thing, right?! 🙂 I’m LOVING this squash alfredo skillet, Sarah! Such a sneaky way to add in the veggies! And hooray for winter break! Hope you enjoy and get some much needed rest and relaxation!
Danielle @ Follow My Gut says
Butternut squash is SERIOUSLY my favorite. I love when the holidays come around because it means it will be everywhere. This pasta looks like the perfect take on the veggie and I would so love to have some. Great job, you make this look good and easy to make!!!
Danielle | FollowMyGut.com <3
Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk) says
This is my kind of alfredo! So vibrant and delicious looking.
Hailey says
This looks delicious! Have you ever tried it with just milk? I don’t have any heavy cream, but I do have whole milk and veggie stock!
Sarah says
Whole milk would work fine, Hailey! It might be a little less rich but it would work!
Amy says
Made it tonight. Delicious!
Erica says
Made this last night – loved it. I had frozen pureed squash in my freezer so I microwaved that and just added it to the alfredo sauce at the end (that made this receipe even quicker and with fewer dishes).
Sarah says
So glad that this alfredo was a keeper for you, Erica! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
J. says
delicious. super creamy. i ended up adding 3/4 cups more milk as it was too thick for my taste.
michelle says
made this tonight using leftover roasted mashed butternut squash and made it gluten free. fast easy and tasty!! i had enough sauce leftover to freeze some 🙂 yaay!! it has just enough squash for flavor but not too much that my kids wouldnt eat it! will definitely add to my go to quick meal list!!
Courtney says
Any idea if this dish would freeze?
Sarah says
I haven’t tried freezing this pasta, however you can certainly try it, Courtney!
Kelly says
Do you have the nutritional value for this recipe? It looks delicious
Sarah says
Hi Kelly! I do not know the exact nutrition info for this recipe, however, you can easily find out using this website!
Rebecca says
It’s at the end of the recipe.
Gabriella says
It came out delicious !! My son said it is restaurant quality dinner and that I should open a restaurant . Hahahahahahah never in a million years.
Amy says
OMG this looks amazing! I can’t believe that is butternut squash that is so creamy! Definitely going to try this recipe!
Sarah says
Let me know if you do, Amy! 🙂 🙂
Suzanne says
This looks so good! Is it good with any other veggies besides broccoli?
Sarah says
Definitely! Sweet peppers, zucchini, or just your favorite basic veggie goes great in this pasta!
Deanna says
I thought this very good!
I changed a few things to make it less calories.
I used All evaporator milk and it worked out.
Less butter sautéed w/ a mix of olive oil.
HERES WHAT I WILL DO NEXT TIME
I will add starchy pasta water to the end of the pan with the blend of the squash and Alfredo sauce making it a bit thinner based.
I also made my broccoli as usual with olive oil and a lot of sautéd garlic, a Sprinkle of kosher salt. Added it at the end, delish and firm
LOVED THIS RECIPE EVEN I INCORPORATED A LOT OF MY THOUGHTS.
IVE BEEN COOKING A WHILE ❤️
Thank you Deanna
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing your modifications, Deanna! I’m happy to hear you loved this pasta. 🙂