This creamy butternut squash pasta hits the spot as a comforting fall or winter meal. This recipe is a perfect way to use up a butternut squash and add some veggies to a delicious pasta dish!
Butternut squash has a sweet and nutty flavor and roasting it really brings out these flavors. It also is a good source of fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B-6, and Magnesium (source: USDA).
Pasta is a great dinner option for a filling and delicious meal. A 100 gram serving of generic pasta has about 13 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 75 grams of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source and eating pasta is an excellent way to fuel your body.
Additional protein and healthy fats can make this meal even more satisfying. Try using a higher protein pasta, such as chickpea or lentil pasta, or add another source of protein on top. You can also top it off with some parmesan (I love Violife vegan parmesan), nuts, or a drizzle of olive oil.
To add some more veggies to this pasta, try stirring in some spinach or adding the extra butternut squash!
Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ Butternut Squash, (about 1.5 cups roasted and packed)
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil (plus a little more for the squash)
- 1 Shallot, finely diced
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
- ¾ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- ½ tsp. Rosemary
- ½ tsp. Thyme
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 cup Soy Milk (or another plant milk)
- ½ cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 tbsp. Corn Starch (Tapioca or arrowroot starch will work too!)
- 14 oz. Pasta, cooked according to package instructions
- (Optional) A few handfuls of spinach
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush with a light layer of olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool, so you can peel the skin off easily. (If you are pressed for time, throw it in the freezer for a bit to speed up the cooling process). While this is baking, cook the pasta and prepare the remainder of the ingredients.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and once hot, add the olive oil. Once the oil heats up for a moment, add the shallot and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until golden-brown. Add these and the remainder of the oil to the blender.
- To the blender, add the butternut squash (about half or 1 ½ cups packed), along with the nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, soy milk, vegetable broth, and cornstarch. Blend until completely smooth.
- Add the contents of the blender to a pot or pan over medium-low heat. Allow this to heat while stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken.
- Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta noodles and stir to combine. Add spinach, if using, and allow it to wilt.
- Feel free to top this with some cubed butternut squash, parmesan, or your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
