Browned Butter Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash

If browned butter is a little piece of heaven on earth then this Browned Butter Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash is a huge portion of heaven on earth. It’s delicious, fairly easy to make and budget friendly!
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Browned Butter Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash:

This dish is quite delicious: sweet butternut squash roasted until the edges are golden, tossed with store bought three cheese tortellini and baby spinach, all smothered in browned butter and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and pine nuts. What could be better?

How to Work with Butternut Squash:

You can buy pre-cut butternut squash in many grocery stores these days. My advice on this? Make sure it’s fresh. Feel it through the bag to make sure it’s not mushy or slimy and check the date it was packaged. If it’s firm and fresh and brightly colored, go for it! But if it’s anything less than that, go for doing it yourself. So working with butternut squash can be difficult, unless you have the right tools. You need a good sharp knife (my favorite) and a “Y” peeler (affiliate links). With these two tools peeling and cutting a butternut squash is a piece of cake!

What is Browned Butter?

Brown butter is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: butter that has been melted and then allowed to brown, which gives it an almost caramelized nutty flavor. It’s easy to make but does require a little patience as it can’t be rushed. Simply place  butter into a small pan on medium heat and allow melt, after a few minutes it begin to bubble up. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the butter, don’t walk away. After 4-5 minutes the center will erupt in a caramel color. The butter is now browned. Immediately turn off heat. That’s it!

When it All Comes Together…Magic!

So much color, so much flavor, heaps of veggies, and delicious tortellini, trust me, you’re going to love this pasta! 

Once You Try Browned Butter, You’ll Want More!

Try my Browned Butter Linguine with Homemade Bread Crumbs. 

What you need: if cutting your own butternut squash you will need a good sharp knife (my favorite) and a “Y” peeler.

A delicious pasta that’s loaded with veggies and feeds a crowd!

Course:

dinner, Main Course, pasta

Cuisine:

Italian

Keyword:

browned butter pasta, pasta with butternut squash, tortellin, Vegetarian pasta

Servings: 8 servings

• 4
  cups
  butternut sqush cut into 3/4″ chunks
• 2-3
  Tablespoons
  extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 20
  ounces
  fresh three cheese tortellini
• 3
  cups
  fresh baby spinach
• 3/4
  cup
  butter, browned
• 1
  cup
  freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4
  cup
  roasted pine nuts, optional
• red pepper flakes, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Place oven rack in center position.

2. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and set aside. Peel and cut butternut into 3/4″ chunks. If using store bought, you will still have to cut it to make it smaller.

3. Place squash on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss. All squash should be lightly covered with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss again. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You now have 20 minutes to do something else.

4. Twenty minutes before squash is done, set a large pot of salted water to boil. While waiting for water to boil place spinach into a large bowl, set aside. Grate Parmesan cheese. Toast pine nuts in a small pan on medium heat, tossing every so often.

5. Make browned butter: Place butter into a small pan on medium heat, butter will melt, then begin to bubble up. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the butter. After 4-5 minutes the center will erupt in a caramel color. The butter is now browned. Immediately turn off heat.

6. When water is boiling add tortellini and cook to package instructions (usually cooking time is five minutes). Strain (do not rinse!) immediately place on top of spinach in bowl. Allow spinach to steam under pasta for 60 seconds. Top with butternut squash, toss. Drizzle with browned butter, toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and desired amount f red pepper flakes (if using). Toss again. Add sea salt or pepper if needed.

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