Butternut Squash Marinara at Home

Step up the nutrients in your marinara by swirling in from-scratch butternut squash purée. In this robust Butternut Squash Marinara, onions and garlic sauté with spices and san marzano tomatoes. Yields 4 cups in about 30 minutes.

If there’s one cuisine everyone at the table can all agree on, it’s Italian.

Well, Mexican too now that I think about it. But whether spaghetti, stuffed shells or lasagna worth a second batch it all! And if time allows, I like to make a kitchen-made marinara sauce. It’s not as hard as you would think and can be done in 30 minutes and even better if made a day or two in advance as something magical happens as it chills in the fridge.

Last week, you may remember, I roasted a butternut squash and turned it into an silky-smooth purée. Well I had some satisfying plans for it, like adding it to marinara sauce. It adds sweetness and nutrients and a subtle creaminess to the sauce, yet no one would ever truly know it’s in their unless you told them. It’s worth the pot and well-seasoned. And the go-to part is that it makes 4 cups and can be used in any recipe.

And the dependable part is that it makes 4 cups and can be used in any recipe.

To cook this Butternut Squash Marinara set out:

• olive oil
• yellow onion
• garlic
• italian seasoning
• rubbed sage
• dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth can be substituted)
• whole san marzano tomatoes
• butternut squash
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• sugar
• chili flakes.

First thing to do is make your purée. Sure, I suppose you can purchase frozen winter squash puree at your grocery store, but you’ll miss out on the glorious smell of it roasting in the oven! I use this method and it’s so straightforward. I prefer to make my purée in advance (and can be frozen!) so it’s ready for when I need it. And this also why I don’t include the time in the recipe printable.

First, preheat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Next, add 1 heaping cup of diced yellow onion (about 1 medium) along with a pinch of kosher salt.

Stir and cook until the onion is soft and translucent and the edges start to brown a little. Then add in 4 (medium size) cloves of minced fresh garlic to the onions, stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Smells striking, right?

Now measure and add in 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (I use the recipe from my cookbook) and 3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage. It’s different from dried sage, so check and make sure you have the right one on hand.

Then pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine.

Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until most of the wine has reduced.

Next add in 1 (28 ounce) can of whole san marzano tomatoes – juice and all.

Then, using the back of your wooden spoon, smash the tomatoes into small pieces. Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to gently bubble for 15 minutes.

Lastly, swirl in 1 cup butternut squash purée.

Taste-test and season with 1 to 1-1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Stir to combine and then heat through.

If making this sauce a day or so in advance, be sure to allow the butternut squash marinara to cool before spooning it into a jar and sealing it shut. This dish makes roughly 4 cups so use a large jar for storing. Secure a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 or 6 days.

That’s it! So unfussy and extremely satisfying!

How To Freeze Marinara Sauce:

Divide the sauce. Since this dish makes 10 cups of sauce, I measure out the into 4 freezer safe quart resealable bags. I end up with two bags with 2 cups of sauce and 2 bags of 3 cups of sauce. Squeeze out as much air before sealing each bag. Then lay them flat on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until solid.

How To Thaw Marinara Sauce:

The day before, remove the bag from the freezer and place it into your refrigerator over night. I like to set this on a small plate or tray.

Enjoy! And if you give this Butternut Squash Marinara recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!