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This simple Creamy Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni is the perfect dinner. Quick, easy, cheesy, and so delicious! Roasted butternut squash with shallots, garlic, and herbs in a creamy 4-cheese, sun-dried tomato, spinach sauce. Cooked together with rigatoni pasta, then finished in the oven for a simple, delicious fall dinner. Truly one of those pasta bake dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next dinner party too. You can’t go wrong with this Tuscan-style butternut squash pasta.
Sometimes I look back at older recipes and I wonder what I was thinking when I decided to make and share that recipe. And then sometimes I look back and think, wow I need to make this!
This is a pasta that I looked way, way, way back for. I was going through recipes for our HBH 10-year anniversary when I came across this recipe and thought, yummm!
I looked at the recipe and thought, wow I could make that so much more efficiently than it’s written. So that’s just what I did! I had all the ingredients with me at the time and decided to just go for it.
It turned out so delicious, I just had to re-share it!!
Here are details
First, you’ll want to roast up the squash. Start by tossing the squash, shallots, and garlic with lots of fresh oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Once the squash has finished roasting, puree it with the garlic and ricotta cheese until smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender.
Now the pasta, take a big oven-safe skillet with sides and add a few cups of water. Just enough to cook the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just al dente, but don’t drain it! Simply stir in the butternut puree, milk, lots of spinach, the sun-dried tomatoes. And finish with a mix of gouda and parmesan cheese.
Toss everything until it is creamy. Top with fontina cheese and bake until melty and the sauce is bubbling up.
I usually top with fresh herbs, then serve it up! DELICIOUS!
This is my ideal fall dinner, and I even got the picky eaters to dive right into this! It’s all that delicious cheese and creamy butternut squash in a Tuscan-style sauce. You just cannot turn away from that combo!
Looking for more comfort pasta recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Pesto Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
One Pot French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Baked 4 Cheese Butternut Squash Rigatoni.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 410 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 shallot, halved
- 6-10 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- chili flakes
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 pound rigatoni or other short cut pasta
- 1 cup milk or cream
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina or provolone cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425° F.2. On a baking sheet, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, shallot, garlic, oregano, and a pinch each of chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the squash is tender.3. Pop the garlic cloves out of their skin. Add the butternut squash, shallot, garlic, and ricotta to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.4. In a large, oven-safe skillet with sides, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 8 minutes. Stir in the pureed butternut squash. Add the milk/ cream, Italian seasoning, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Stir in the gouda and parmesan until melted. 5. Remove from the heat and top with the fontina cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and gooey. Eat!
Notes
Italian Seasoning: Mix 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried sage. Store in a sealed container.
Could you make this ahead. Refrigerate, then pop on the fontina and bake later for a longer time, or will it soak up all the liquid and be dry. Need a good make ahead company meal that I can pop in the oven after a long day of sightseeing.
Hey Annette,
Totally, that should work well for you! I hope you love this dish! xT
I had to make a couple of substitutions. Roasted Turban squash for butternut, lactose free cottage cheese for ricotta, and gluten free pasta shells (Jovial brown rice). In my experience, gluten free pasta is thirsty so I end up having to add more water. This was a tasty meal and leftovers were good too. Next time I will chop the spinach (it didn’t want to mix in) and add some browned sausage. Yum!
Thank you for the input May! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! xT
Another banger! Followed the suggestions of other comments and increased the squash, used about 4 cups (2 frozen bags). Added a little more cheese (measure with the heart!) I also topped with some torn prosciutto. Might try adding in some Italian chicken sausage next time to add protein, but the dish as is was perfect!
Hey! Thank you so so much! Love to hear that you’re enjoying this recipe 🙂 xT
Fabulous!! I added grilled chicken
Thanks Shawna! xT
This was SO delicious!! Easy, creamy and just amazing. A perfect fall/winter dinner that will be made again in my house – many times.
Hi Kristen,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I appreciate you making it and your feedback! x
Made this for supper. Added some extra cheese and milk. It was amazing! Planing to make again and add some additional chunks of squash and sautéed mushrooms. Perfect meatless meal!
Hi Tabitha,
I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your review:) xT
I have lots of kale to use from the garden. Could I sub kale for the spinach?
Definitely! xT
This was a hit for my whole family, and I have a 2-year-old who has recently become quite vocal about his dislikes with food. I didn’t have any milk so I subbed chicken stock and that worked great. It’s going into the rotation!
Hey Amelia,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
I made this for my in-laws and kids and HUGE hit is an understatement! They complimented your recipe over and over. My 15 month old stuck his face in the leftover containers and tried to eat more lol.
Hey Olivia,
Happy Friday!😁 Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Do you drain the pasta water before adding the squash and other ingredients?
I have the same question. It doesn’t say anything about it. I’m making it tonight so I guess I will find out
You do not need to drain the water:)
This was absolutely delish! Made it exactly like you wrote. I ordered your cookbook too.
Hey Karen,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
The recipe doesn’t say if you should change the oven temp before putting the dish in for the last bake. At 425, it seemed a bit high. It was delicious but a bit dry and not creamy. I wonder if this is why?
Hi Jodi,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Yes, the oven temp was meant to be 425. Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Let me know how I can help! xT
I made this for a last minute Xmas dinner, and it was a huge hit!
One thing I wasn’t sure about – after cooking the pasta, do you leave the pasta water in to mix with the butternut squash purée? I drained the water out, which prevented the purée from getting too diluted, but it ended up a little dry after baking. I might add more milk instead if I do it again!
Hey Alex,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear this was enjoyed! Yes, no need to drain the water:) xT
Could I make this the night before I make it and pop it into the fridge then just bake for the last little bit the night we want to eat it? Thinking of having this as a side for Christmas dinner and hoping to make it the night before so I just have to bake it!!
Hey Liz,
Sure, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
This was delicious and perfect end to a cloudy murky day. Very filling.
Hey Regina,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🧑🎄