By Mayo Clinic Staff

Dietitian's tip:

Pureed butternut squash makes for a creamy sauce that is low in calories. Plus butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A.

Number of servings

Serves 6
  1. Diabetes meal plan
  2. DASH diet
  3. Heart-healthy
  4. Weight management
  5. Plant-based
  6. Meatless
  7. Healthy-carb
  8. High-fiber

Ingredients

  1. 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), split and seeded
  2. 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  3. Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  4. 12 ounces whole-wheat linguine or other pasta
  5. 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  6. 8 sage leaves, cut into thin strips
  7. 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
  8. 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  9. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  10. 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  11. 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  12. Parmesan cheese (optional and not included in analysis)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Put squash on a backing sheet. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season well with pepper. Roast about 60 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook using package instructions.

Scoop roasted butternut squash from the skin and place in large food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Slowly add the broth and puree until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Add a little water if needed.

In a small skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers slightly. Add the sage and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic. Saute until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pureed butternut squash.

Season with vinegar, nutmeg and more black pepper.

Add the pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

  • Calories 280
  • Total carbohydrate 47 g
  • Total sugars 5 g
  • Added sugars 0 g
  • Dietary fiber 8 g
  • Protein 11 g
  • Total fat 7 g
  • Saturated fat 1.5 g
  • Trans fat 0 g
  • Monounsaturated fat 3.5 g
  • Polyunsaturated fat 0.5 g
  • Cholesterol 33 mg
  • Sodium 204 mg
  • Potassium 575 mg
  • Calcium 107 mg
  • Magnesium 55 mg
  • Vitamin D 0 IU
  • Iron 3 mg

Created by the chefs at Mayo Clinic's Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center.

July 27, 2024