Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
40 mins
-
Total Time
50 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Description
The recipe begins by roasting halved butternut squash along with shallots and unpeeled garlic to soften and concentrate their flavors. These roasted ingredients, combined with soaked cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, and fresh herbs, are blended into a creamy sauce textured enough to coat pasta smoothly. The rotini pasta is cooked al dente then tossed with the sauce, using reserved pasta water to adjust thickness.
The resulting pasta features a gentle sweetness from the squash balanced by garlic and savory notes from nutritional yeast and herbs. The sauce is silky and rich yet made without dairy, relying on cashews for creaminess. Fresh thyme and sage add aromatic depth, while the dish’s texture is soft but not mushy.
This pasta can be served as a main course, optionally accompanied by sautéed broccoli or other vegetables to add color and contrast. It offers a comforting dish with a nuanced flavor profile derived from simple roasted ingredients and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- ½ butternut squash halved vertically and seeded, small
- salt sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
- black pepper sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
- 2 shallot coarsely chopped (⅔ cup
- 3 garlic unpeeled, cloves
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup cashew nuts raw
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 10 sage fresh leaves
- 1 tablespoon thyme plus more for garnish, fresh leaves
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- broccoli for serving, optional, sauteed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drizzle the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on the baking sheet. Wrap the shallots and garlic cloves in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
- Measure 1 cup of the roasted squash flesh and transfer to a blender with the shallot, peeled garlic, water, cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, vinegar, sage, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until creamy.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the sauce, adding ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Season with ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Top with freshly ground black pepper, a few thyme leaves and sautéed broccoli, if desired.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
