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–+ servings

High Protein Sage and Butternut Squash Pasta

This meal prep friendly high protein sage & butternut squash pasta is made with blended cottage cheese for creaminess and a boost of protein!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Main Dish, Meal Prep
Cuisine American
Servings 5
Calories 505 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 12 x17 Half Baking Sheet pan
  • 1 Immersion Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Pound Ground Chicken
  • 1 Large Butternut Squash Peeled and Cubed
  • 8 Ounces Penne Pasta Banza
  • 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil Divided
  • 1 & ¼ teaspoon Salt Divided
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper Divided
  • 1 & ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder Divided
  • 1 & ½ teaspoon Onion Powder Divided
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Sage Leaves Finely Chopped
  • 16 Ounces Low Fat Cottage Cheese
  • 4 tablespoons Romano Cheese Garnish
  • 3 Large Fresh Garlic Cloves Minced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 F and set your rack to the middle position.
  • Add your peeled and cubed butternut squash to a baking sheet, drizzle with avocado oil and add in ¾ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of onion power. Toss until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until your butternut squash is fork tender.
  • While your butternut squash is baking, add your ground chicken and add ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ teaspoon of onion power to a large non-stick pan on medium high heat. Cook your ground chicken for 7-8 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
  • While your ground chicken is cooking, in a separate medium pot, cook your pasta according to instructions on the packaging. Once your pasta is cooked thorough, save about 1 cup of pasta water, drain the remaining water and set aside.
  • Remove your ground chicken from the pan and set aside. Add avocado oil to the same pan you cooked your ground chicken in on low heat, add in your freshly chopped sage and freshly minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute minutes until the sage and garlic become fragrant. Add in about half of your roasted butternut squash, the container of cottage cheese and your pasta water.
  • Using your immersion blender, blend until everything in the pot is completely smooth and creamy. Then add in your ground chicken, butternut squash and pasta. Toss until everything is well combined. Garnish with finely chopped fresh sage and romano cheese. Serve immediately or store for later.
  • Hint: lf you do not have an immersion blender, add your roasted butternut squash, cottage cheese and pasta water to a food processor for 30 seconds to a minute and then add into the pan with your fragrant sage and garlic.

Video

Notes

Substitutions

If you are interested in making this high protein sage and butternut squash pasta but you have dietary restrictions, you can make the following substitutions:
  • Vegetarian– Skip the chicken to make this recipe vegetarian.
  • Romano Cheese- substitute romano cheese for parmesan.
Because I used Banza Pasta for this recipe, this recipe is already gluten-free.

Variations

  • Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish
  • Toddler Friendly - Use slightly less salt while cooking to make this recipe toddler friendly!
This recipe is already kid-friendly!

Equipment

All you need to make this high protein sage and butternut squash pasta is a 12x17 "Half" sheet pan.
I also used an immersion blender. The one I have is cheap and it works great for what I use it for! If you don't have an immersion blender, you can also use a food processor!
If you are meal prepping this dish, these are some of my favorite glass bento box containers.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through qualifying links.

Storage

You can store this high protein sage and butternut squash pasta in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Top tip

If your pasta is ready before the rest of the meal is, spray your drained pasta with avocado oil to prevent sticking!

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 36gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 1062mgPotassium: 1216mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 16001IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 206mgIron: 3mg
Keyword butternut squash pasta, Easy Meal prep, Fall Harvest Sheet Pan Meal Prep, Gluten-free, Healthy Meal Prep, High Protein, High protein sage and butternut squash pasta, meal prep, meal prep friendly
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