Name: Butternut Squash Pasta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 350 g pasta (we use raddiatore); 1 butternut squash (medium size); 50 g vegan butter; 1 onion; 3 garlic cloves; A handful sage; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 150 g cashews (soaked); 250 ml water

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Butternut Squash Pasta is an autumnal, creamy, nutty meal packed full of nutrients.

One of our main goals as food bloggers is to bring you seasonal, healthy and delicious food. This butternut squash pasta is all those things plus it's easy to prepare and a great choice for the whole family.

This recipe is a favourite at home when the weather gets colder. During autumn and winter, butternut squash is always on our shopping list. It's high in fibre, vitamins and calcium and our family just loves it.

To prepare butternut squash pasta, we use a whole butternut squash roasted in the oven. When the butternut squash is roasted, the sugars caramelise, bringing sweeter and deeper flavours to your dish. For the creaminess, we make a cashew cream with soaked cashews blended in water. We also use vegan butter to fry some onion, garlic, autumnal spices and fresh sage to prepare the base of this yummy dish.

Our recipe is dairy-free, and vegan and can be made gluten-free if using gluten-free pasta. It's a toddler and kid-friendly dish as well, just using natural ingredients. Our toddler Luca cleans the plate every time we make this dish.

Ingredients

Butternut Squash. The centrepiece of this recipe. Choose the size of the butternut squash depending on how many people you are cooking for. A medium-sized one is the one we use to make 4 portions.

Cashews. They are an amazing source of protein and healthy fats. Nuts should be an important part of our diet and I find that adding them into a sauce like this butternut squash sauce, makes it easier for everyone to eat them. Leave the cashews soaking at least 20 minutes in hot water to get a smoother cream.

Pasta. For this recipe, you want to use large pasta that will retain the sauce. We used Radiatori pasta, but any type of large ridged pasta will work.

Vegan Butter. To add some extra creaminess to the dish, we add vegan butter. This can be substituted by olive oil or if you are not vegan, you can use regular butter as well.

Fresh Sage. Another seasonal ingredient in this recipe. Sage is at its peak now and we love adding it to different recipes like our White Wine and Garlic Mushrooms. We fry a few sage leaves to add before serving on top of the pasta and use the rest with the onion, garlic and spices to create a lovely base. Dried sage can be used as well if fresh sage is not easily available.

Spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper are my three favourite spices when cooking fall recipes.

Onion and garlic. As in most of our dishes, we use onion and garlic to start the base of this dish.

How to prepare Butternut Squash Pasta Step by Step

Following the packet instructions, cook the pasta in boiling water. Save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce later.
Cut the butternut squash in half, place it on a baking tray using parchment paper or a silicone mat, and bake for about 40 minutes at 200C.
Using a big pan, we use a cast-iron pan, melt the vegan butter and add finely chopped onion, garlic paste, and finely chopped sage. We use our garlic presser so the garlic combines with the rest of the ingredients easier. Once the onion has softened, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper.
Make the cashew cream. Blend the soaked cashews with water to create a smooth cream.
When the butternut squash is roasted, leave it to cool a little bit, scoop the flesh out and blend with 100 ml of water. Add into the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the cashew cream, keep cooking for a few minutes and add some more water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. We highly recommend using pasta water to keep the creaminess of the sauce.
Mix in the pasta with the sauce and serve.

Serving suggestions

When making pasta, the extra bits added on the top are always something we prepare carefully to enhance the flavour of the dish. For our butternut squash pasta, we made some crispy sage to be added on the top and bring some crunchiness to the first bites. To prepare the crispy sage, simply heat some oil in a pan, add the sage leaves and leave frying for a few seconds until crispy. Place on a paper towel to remove the excess oil, and add some sea salt on top.

Another delicious add-on to our dish is truffle oil. Drizzle some truffle oil on the top of the pasta before serving to enhance the flavour of the squash, adding a different touch.

At the last touch, shred some vegan cheese on the top or sprinkle yeast flakes to add that cheesy flavour that makes any pasta dish so special.

Serve this dish with some vegan garlic bread to complete this fantastic meal!

How to make this Butternut Squash Pasta Nut-free

We use cashew cream for our recipe, but we know that nuts represent an allergen problem for many people. As well, many schools won't allow packed lunches containing nuts.

To make this butternut squash pasta nut-free, substitute the cashew cream for coconut milk. Coconut milk is creamy and has a nutty flavour as well. We use it in many of our recipes and it works really good when making this sauce too.

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5 from 6 votes