creamy butternut squash pasta (vegan)
We are slowly starting to resurface after 4 days in Portland. Anyone else living in pants with an elastic waistband? Lots of yummy food, wine, cocktails, and family time has left us feeling both happy and exhausted at the same time. Tis the season I guess!
Since we have been eating our body weight in turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy I thought a lighter meal was in order. Okay, so pasta isn’t necessarily light but this creamy butternut squash sauce is actually healthy and is hands down one of the best sauces I have made! Oh yeah, and it’s vegan. Don’t tell Taylor!
This pasta is festive and pairs well with a side of roasted brussels sprouts. It tastes like comfort food without all the extra butter and cream. (And right now the last thing I need more of is butter and cream!) Do yourself a favor and run to the store and buy all the ingredients. It’s worth it!
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta (Vegan)
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Serves: 4
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours
- 1 1/2 cups veggie stock
- 1 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes
- 2 TBS white miso
- 2 TBS nutritional yeast
- juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (only if sauce is too thick)
- black pepper to taste
- For the Pasta:
- 12 ounces of your favorite pasta
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 medium sized yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Peel, seed, and cube your butternut squash into 1/4 inch cubes. Place on a prepared baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes (or until fork tender) Flip squash once halfway through cooking time. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Cook until al dente. Strain pasta reserving one cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile drain your cashews and place them in a food processor with veggie stock. Blend until smooth. Add the roasted squash, miso, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- While sauce is blending saute your onions in a olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage, salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until wine cooks down. Reduce heat and add butternut squash sauce and cooked pasta. Mix well. If sauce is too thick add reserved pasta water. Enjoy!
Notes
Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and seasonings to your liking.
Ok, this is unbelievably delicious! I thought it would taste like b-nut squash and cashew. It’s so much more! What a surprisingly yum creation. Thanks! (A bit of fresh parsley on top is the best.)
I am SO glad you liked it! it’s our favorite!
My family tried a vegan challenge for the month of January. The one staple my kids said they would miss the most was macaroni and cheese. After eating this, they requested this as their “mac and cheese” in the future.
Going to make this later this week… Not sure I’ll be able to find nutritional yeast. Any suggestions for a substitute? Or could I just leave it out? Thanks!