- Roasted acorn squash mixed with burrata creates a creamy, flavorful pasta sauce.
- Simple additions like chili paste, garlic, and herbs balance the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.
- The recipe is flexible – swap out pumpkin, spices, or cheese, depending on what you have on hand.
With the arrival of fall comes an abundance of winter squash (think butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and more). These hardy pumpkins are not only beautiful, they are also delicious and full of health benefits. We love them roasted, but also used in soups or as a casserole. It turns out that you can also use it to make a delicious sauce for pasta. Giada De Laurentiis shows us how in an Instagram reel on her lifestyle brand Giadzy’s page. Read on to find out how she makes roasted squash and mixed burrata pasta, which she says is currently her “favorite fall pasta.”
The recipe starts with an acorn squash. After cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds, De Laurentiis fills each half with some Calabrian chili paste mixed with garlic, rosemary and lemon zest. She drizzles the squash with extra virgin olive oil and roasts it until it’s tender. Then she scoops the pulp into a food processor along with a 4-ounce ball of burrata and blends until smooth. The sauce is poured into a large serving bowl and topped with spinach, which sits nearby while De Laurentiis cooks a pound of her Manfredi pasta (a long pasta shape with ruffled edges). Once the pasta is al dente, she drains the pasta and adds it to the bowl of sauce along with a healthy sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
De Laurentiis ends the role with a taste test. She says the dish is “the best of fall, right here,” and we agree! Acorn squash acquires a sweet and nutty flavor when roasted, making it a delicious base for pasta sauce. And once it’s pureed, it becomes incredibly creamy and adds a little more richness to the pasta sauce. The addition of chilies, garlic, and herbs is simple but necessary to contrast the sweetness of the squash. The burrata, a soft mozzarella cheese, is a clever addition that adds flavor and creaminess to the dish.
It’s a homey dish that can be prepared fairly quickly and you can even prepare some of the ingredients in advance. Consider halving and scooping out the acorn squash seeds the night before. The garlic and herb mixture can also be prepared a day in advance.
There are also many ways to modify the dish depending on personal preferences and what is available at the store or farmer’s market. For example, if you can’t find acorn squash, another winter squash variety like butternut squash might work. If you can’t find Calabrian chili paste, replace it with some crushed red pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Burrata is the ideal choice for this recipe, but if you need to use something else, we think cottage cheese or ricotta cheese could also work. Add a tablespoon or two at a time until you get the desired consistency, thinning with pasta water if necessary.
The conclusion
This dish shows how seasonal vegetables like pumpkin can be transformed into something comforting and nourishing. By blending roasted squash with burrata and simple herbs, Giada De Laurentiis creates a pasta worthy of a special occasion while providing fiber, vitamins, and flavor. It’s proof that fall cooking can be healthy, filling, and surprisingly easy to adapt.
