Rotini alla Vodka with Butternut Squash and Ground Beef

A rich and creamy tomato pasta with sausage seasoned ground beef, roasted butternut squash, cream, parmesan, and a splash of vodka.

This rotini alla vodka is one of those pasta dinners that feels a little special but is still really practical for a busy weeknight if you meal prep it ahead of time on a Sunday. This recipe makes a big batch of sauce, so it will last for more than one pasta night. The sauce is rich, creamy, and full of flavor, with roasted butternut squash blended right into the tomatoes.

I especially love the squash here because it does not make the pasta taste overwhelmingly like squash. Instead, it adds a subtle sweetness and gives the sauce an extra creamy texture.

For the meat, I use ground beef and season it with fennel, sage, Italian seasoning, maple syrup, and red wine vinegar to give it those classic Italian sausage flavors. You could absolutely use Italian sausage instead, but this is a great option if ground beef is what you already have.

The best part might be that this recipe makes plenty of sauce. I like adding just enough to generously coat the pasta, then saving the extra for another dinner later in the week.

Main Ingredients & Swaps

• Ground beef: I use ground beef and season it myself with fennel, sage, Italian seasoning, garlic, maple syrup, and red wine vinegar. You can substitute Italian sausage if you want to make things even easier.
• Butternut squash: Roasted butternut squash adds body, subtle sweetness, and creaminess to the tomato sauce. You can roast it ahead of time to make dinner come together faster.
• Whole tomatoes: I like canned whole tomatoes for this sauce. Roughly chop them before adding them to the pot.
• Heavy cream: This gives the sauce its classic creamy vodka sauce texture.
• Vodka: You only need a small amount. It adds a nice depth of flavor to the tomatoes, but it is completely optional.
• Parmesan: Finely grated Parmesan melts more easily into the pasta and gives the sauce a savory finish.
• Rotini: Rotini holds onto this thick, creamy sauce really well, but another short pasta such as rigatoni, penne, or fusilli would also work.
• Chicken stock: This helps loosen the sauce before blending. Keep a little extra nearby because you may want more depending on how thick your squash is.

Equipment I Use

• A large heavy pot or Dutch oven works best because you can brown the beef and make the sauce in the same pot.
• You will also need an immersion blender or countertop blender to make the tomato and butternut squash sauce smooth and creamy.

How I Make It

I start by roasting the butternut squash until tender, then scoop out the flesh and set it aside. To roast the butternut squash, slice off the top and bottom, slice it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the squash flesh-side down and roast at 375 for 45 minutes, until a fork can pierce it with little resistance.

Next, I season the ground beef with Italian sausage inspired flavors like fennel, sage, garlic, maple syrup, and red wine vinegar. I brown the beef in a large pot, then remove it and use the same pot to sauté the onion and garlic.

The tomatoes, roasted butternut squash, and chicken stock go in next. I let the sauce simmer until the flavors come together, then blend it until smooth and creamy.

While the sauce simmers, I cook the rotini until al dente and reserve a little pasta water.

To finish the sauce, I blend in the heavy cream and a small splash of vodka, then add the ground beef back to the pot. I toss the rotini with enough sauce to coat it well, stir in Parmesan, and use a little reserved pasta water as needed to loosen everything up.

Any extra sauce goes into the refrigerator or freezer for another meal.

Tips & Storage

• Roast the squash ahead: Roasting your butternut squash a day or two ahead makes this a much faster weeknight dinner.
• Prep everything first: This recipe moves much more smoothly when the onion, garlic, Parmesan, squash, and seasonings are ready before you start cooking.
• Finely grate the Parmesan: A fine texture helps the cheese melt smoothly into the pasta instead of clumping.
• Save the extra sauce: You may not need all of the sauce for one pound of pasta. Store the extra separately and use it for another easy pasta dinner.
• Refrigerator: Store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: The extra meat sauce can also be frozen separately. Let it cool completely, transfer it to a freezer safe container, and freeze until you are ready for another quick dinner. When reheating, add a splash of chicken stock, milk, or water if the sauce has thickened.

You can watch me make this Rotini alla Vodka with Butternut Squash and Ground Beef in my Meal Prep for Kids & Teens video on YouTube.

This is such a good pasta to make when you want something hearty and comforting while still sneaking a little extra vegetable into dinner. The roasted squash disappears right into the creamy tomato sauce, the seasoned beef makes it filling, and having extra sauce waiting in the refrigerator makes dinner later in the week that much easier.

Rotini alla Vodka with Butternut Squash and Ground Beef

A rich and creamy tomato pasta made with ground beef seasoned like Italian sausage, roasted butternut squash, Parmesan, and a splash of vodka. The butternut squash adds a subtle sweetness and makes the sauce especially creamy and flavorful.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 -8

Course: Dinner, pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

Italian Sausage Style Ground Beef

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds whole or crushed
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic finely minced

Pasta and Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic finely minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 28 ounce can whole tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 ½ cups roasted butternut squash
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock plus more as needed
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 to 4 tablespoons vodka optional
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
• 1 pound rotini pasta
• ½ cup reserved pasta water plus more as needed
• Salt for the pasta water

Notes

• You can substitute Italian sausage for the seasoned ground beef.
• Roast the butternut squash ahead of time to make this recipe faster.
• The vodka is optional, but even a small amount adds depth to the tomato sauce.
• You may have extra sauce. Store it separately in the refrigerator or freezer for another meal.

Method

 

1. Roast the butternut squash
2. Slice off the top and bottom, slice it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the squash flesh-side down and roast at 375 for 45 minutes, until a fork can pierce it with little resistance. Scoop out the flesh and measure 1 ½ cups.
3. Season the ground beef with the salt, Italian seasoning, sage, fennel, black pepper, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, and garlic. Brown over medium high heat, then remove from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the butter and olive oil to the same pot. Sauté the onion until softened, then add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the tomatoes, roasted butternut squash, and chicken stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the rotini in generously salted water until al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup pasta water before draining. Return the pasta to the same pot after draining; we will mix some of the sauce into it later.
6. Blend the tomato and butternut squash sauce until smooth. Blend in the heavy cream and vodka, if using. Return the beef to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. To the rotini pot, add enough sauce to coat it generously. Reserve any extra sauce for another meal. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until melted into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until it reaches a silky, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Video

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