Butternut Squash & Sage Ramen
Roasted butternut squash and sage already sound like a sweater-weather meal, but here they swirl into a ramen broth that feels equal parts familiar and new. Sweet squash melts into the soup, sage crisps on top like crunchy confetti, and noodles wind their way through it all as if they’d been waiting for this season. It’s autumn in a bowl, warm enough to lean over, rich enough to linger with.
Golden broth whispers—sage crackles like autumn leaves—noodles catch the fire.
Let Me Tell You...
The squash cubes roasted until their edges caramelized, filling the kitchen with that nutty sweetness that only happens when orange flesh hits hot air.
By the time they came out of the oven, the air smelled like October evenings.
Sage leaves crisped in butter like tiny chips that snapped when I touched them, the smell sharp and woodsy enough to make me feel like I’d just opened a window onto a forest floor.
The broth carried roasted garlic and soy, a little vinegar to keep it from leaning too sweet, and when the squash joined it, the color turned golden and the steam carried the season with it.
Noodles went in last, pulling everything together.
The broth clung to them, the sage sat proud on top, and pumpkin seeds scattered across the surface like little reminders of the season.
I leaned over the bowl, steam fogging up my glasses, and slurped like I hadn’t eaten in a week.
Sweet, savory, woodsy—it was all there, and it felt like a secret I wanted to keep but couldn’t.
By the time the bowl was empty, the room smelled like squash and herbs, the kind of perfume that doesn’t need a candle to sell it.
I thought about making another batch right away, but decided to save it—because ramen this autumnal feels like something you ration out, the edible equivalent of watching leaves fall one by one.
Ingredients
- 2 bricks ramen noodles (about 8 oz dry)
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter (or vegan butter)
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet until caramelized, 25–30 minutes.
- In a pot, sauté onion and garlic in a little oil until softened, 5 minutes.
- Pour in vegetable broth, soy sauce, and vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add roasted squash to broth, simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook ramen noodles in a separate pot, 3 minutes. Drain well.
- Melt butter in a skillet. Fry sage leaves until crisp, about 1 minute.
- Divide noodles into bowls, ladle squash broth over them, and top with crispy sage and pumpkin seeds.