Vibrant yellow-orange butternut squash gives a nod to fall. That earthy goodness is delicious diced, roasted or sautéed — or cooked up with savory elements and pureed into a dreamy, creamy pasta sauce that’s every bit as luxurious as a cream-laced Alfredo sauce.
Butternut squash and pasta is a classic pairing. Just think of ravioli filled with butternut squash and sage, an Italian favorite. But turning the sweet, vitamin-rich squash into pasta sauce is an inspired idea that’s increasingly finding space on supermarket shelves.
One taste of a well-made butternut sauce explains why it’s so popular. Made right, it’s as tasty and healthy as a tomato-based sauce, but far less acidic — and much more decadent. Butternut squash pasta sauce not only turns basic pasta into a meal, it can also be slathered on pizza, layered into lasagna, spooned over meat or even used as a dip. Even more simple: Add broth and top it with toasted nuts, feta and croutons for a restaurant-quality bowl of soup.
Pasta sauce styles range from basic squash-forward slurps to creative purees laced with cream, onion, red bell peppers, carrots, cheese, pureed tomato and more. The best have a pleasant balance of sweet and savory ingredients, a generous handful of herbs and a velvety texture — with a mere touch of fat and calories.
Bad butternut squash sauce either tastes flat and old, akin to cheap canned pumpkin, or it’s doctored with so much cheese or sugar that the squash flavor is completely lost.
Here’s the scoop on the most mouthwatering butternut pasta sauces on supermarket shelves — and the ones in desperate need of doctoring. Nutrition details refer to ½ cup of sauce.
Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Creamy Sauce
Spiked with rosemary, this rustic blend of butternut squash, carrot and pumpkin delivers a surprising mouthful of savory deliciousness. The fresh flavor of perfectly cooked vegetables is a big plus. 100 calories, 6 g fat, 510 mg sodium, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein. $3.49 for 25 ounces. (4 stars)
Whole Foods Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Those who love a velvety sauce will be impressed with the luscious creaminess of this cheese-forward sauce. It has a pleasant balance of salt and sweetness and mellow butternut flavor. (Note that this is a seasonal product and in short supply.) 190 calories, 14 g fat, 380 mg sodium, 8 g sugar, 1 g protein. $5.99 for 14.5 ounces. (3½ stars)
Sonoma Gourmet Organic Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Straight out of the jar, the undercooked onion in this sauce is problematic, but a bit of stove time transforms it into a well rounded, herbaceous sauce with complex flavors. Add more butternut squash to the mix, and it’s a great spoonful. 60 calories, 2.5 g fat, 440 mg sodium, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein. $10.49 for 25 ounces at Raley’s. (3 stars)
Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Chunky texture and a spicy kick give this sauce big personality, but it’s far too sweet. Eliminate the added sugar, and it would be stellar. 100 calories, 4 g fat, 358 mg sodium, 9 g sugar, 1 g protein. $5.99 for 25.5 ounces at Sprouts. (2½ stars)
Good & Gather Signature Butternut Pasta Sauce
The ordinary flavor of this bland sauce isn’t awful, but the canned pumpkin flavor doesn’t inspire a second bite. 170 calories, 13 g fat, 360 mg sodium, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein, $4.99 for 23.7 ounces at Target. (1 star)
World Market Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
This is the sauce to avoid. Far too much tomato and cheese eclipse the flavor of squash, resulting in a puree that tastes like a cross between tomato soup and baby food. 180 calories, 14 g fat, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein. $5.99 for 23.6 ounces at Cost Plus World Market. (½ a star)
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.
The Link LonkNovember 22, 2020 at 09:58PM
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Taste-Off: The best butternut squash pasta sauces — and the ickiest - The Mercury News
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