Butternut Squash Pasta
This Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta is the ultimate comfort food with its rich, silky-smooth sauce and crispy sage topping. It's heavenly!
Servings 4 people
Calories 489kcal
Ingredients
Crispy Sage
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 10-15 fresh sage leaves
Butternut Squash Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling on pasta
- 1 small onion , diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic , chopped or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more/less to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1.5 cups butternut squash , peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (measured cubed)
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk , unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice , freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon sea salt + more for pasta water
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- ⅓ cup non-dairy parmesan + more for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Start by heating up a large pot of salted water over high heat until it's almost boiling. Then cover and lower the heat to keep it hot until ready to use.
- For the crispy sage, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's hot and shimmering. Now add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry for 15-20 seconds, then flip with tongs, and fry for another 15-20 until crisp, but not browned. The color should turn dark green. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- For the sauce, wipe out the pan and place it back on the stove, and heat up oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until tender and slightly golden. About 4-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and thyme. Sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour the broth into the pan, then add the cubed squash, salt, and pepper, now give it a good stir. Raise the heat to get things simmering, then lower the heat to maintain a medium simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the squash is fork-tender, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While the squash is cooking, bring the pasta water to a boil, then add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, and according to package directions (usually around 8-9 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Now, carefully add the contents of the pan into a blender, along with the milk, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Blend on high until smooth. Now pour the mixture back into the pan over medium heat. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
- Add the pasta and gently toss to combine, then cook for 1-2 minutes more. If the sauce is too thick, you can start adding some of the pasta water until you've reached desired consistency. You may not need any or much at all.
- Remove from heat and toss with a few crumbled sage leaves and vegan parmesan (optional). Serve with the remaining sage leaves and more vegan parmesan if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional Yeast - adds a slightly cheesy flavor and helps thicken the sauce. You can also use vegan parmesan or 2-3 teaspoons of vegan cream cheese to thicken.
- Butternut Squash - Choose a squash that has a medium-dark beige skin that is somewhat matte and not shiny. If it's too pale, shiny, or has green streaks in it, it's likely that the squash was picked too early and it will taste bland. You can also knock on the surface to check for ripeness. If it sounds somewhat hollow, it's likely ripened inside. The inside color should be deep orange for optimal flavor.
- Cut the butternut squash cubes similar in size and no more than a ½ inch. This will help them cook quickly and evenly in the broth.
- You will probably have leftover butternut squash if you purchased it whole. You can cube it and freeze/refrigerate it for another recipe.
- This recipe goes well with vegan sausage crumbles (I highly recommend the Field Roast - Smoked Apple Sage flavor). You can crumble up 1-2 and brown them in a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes (I usually cook them after the sage leaves). After browning the crumbles, remove from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Then proceed with the sauce. I usually toss it with the pasta right before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 350mg | Sugar: 6g