Now that it’s October, and Autumn has arrived (though it doesn’t quite feel like it yet here in Florida), we’re ready for all things FALL! Football, pumpkin candles, fire pit evenings, and recipes too! This Butternut Squash Alfredo was the perfect way to kick off the month of October!

I absolutely love anything and everything using Butternut Squash. To me it represents such a wonderful time of year, and not to mention it’s also incredibly delicious.  I knew that this recipe would be perfect for a cool fall evening.

I am actually normally NOT an Alfredo fan at all. I prefer my pastas to have a red sauce rather than creamy. Because I’m also trying to stray away from dairy products, this Butternut Squash “alfredo” sauce was the perfect substitute. It has that natural creamy texture without being too much and it’s dairy free!

I topped this pasta with a little bit of chopped bacon. Because the squash has such a naturally sweet flavor to it, the applewood smoked bacon breaks that up a little bit and also just enhances the festive fall flavor of the entire dish!

I made this dish gluten free and dairy free, just for my preference. But, if you’d like to make it with dairy products and regular pasta (not gluten free), I’ll include those ingredients  in the recipe below.

Give this tasty recipe a try on the next cool fall saturday evening- preferably after a day of apple picking, hay rides, or walking through your local pumpkin patch (I’m living vicariously through all of you that can do that back home, up north).

BUTTERNUT SQUASH ALFREDO

INGREDIENTS:

1. 4 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced
2.  2 tablespoons butter (substitute dairy free alternative of your choice)
3. 1 cup diced red onion
4. 1 garlic clove
5. 3 cups butternut squash cubes
6. 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
7. 1 1/2 Tbs fresh diced sage
8. 1 1/2 Tbs fresh diced thyme
9. 1 cup 2% milk (substitute almond milk for dairy free option)
10. 2 lb pasta (I used gluten free linguine made from Quinoa)

PREPARATION:

1. In a large skillet, add butter (or substitute) and onion. Saute for about 1-2 minutes, or until slightly soft
2. Add garlic and stir until tender and aromatic (about 1 minute). Add butternut squash cubes, chicken stock, sage, and thyme. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook until butternut squash is tender (about 10 minutes)
3. In the meantime, heat a small skillet to medium-high heat. Add diced bacon to the pan and saute until crispy (about 5 minutes). Allow bacon to cool and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Once tender, add all squash and ingredients in skillet to a food processor along with milk and salt to taste. Puree until smooth
5. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to directions.
6. Drain pasta once finished. Add butternut squash sauce to the pasta, and gently toss. Top with crispy bacon and enjoy!