Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
This hearty and creamy butternut squash pasta topped with sage leaves is the perfect comfort dinner recipe to cook this fall.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 448kcal
Ingredients
For the butternut squash pasta sauce:
- 1 yellow onion - (or 4 small shallots)
- 12-14 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups chopped butternut squash
- 1 cup oat milk - (or almond milk, soya milk. or vegetable broth)
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta:
- 12 ounces pasta - (whole-wheat, gluten-free, legume-based pasta)
To garnish:
- fresh sage leaves
- black pepper
- chopped or grated walnuts, parmesan, or pecorino
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the chopped butternut squash. Cook for about 8 minutes.
- In the meantime, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to a pan. Once the oil is hot, add about 8 sage leaves. Let them crisp for about 30 seconds on each side and then remove them from the heat and place them on the side for the final topping.
- In the same pot, add the chopped onion and 4-6 sage leaves, add a quarter cup of water and let the onion soften.
- Once the butternut squash is cooked, remove it from the water using a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer. Add the squash straight into the pan with the onions.
- In the same boiling water you used for the butternut squash, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions, stirring from time to time. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Place the cooked butternut squash, onions, and sage into the blender or food processor. Add the oat milk a bit at a time, and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Drain the pasta, then add back to the pan, add the butternut squash sauce, and if necessary, add a bit of the boiling water you saved to thin the sauce.
- Serve the pasta on individual plates, with freshly grated pepper, crumbled fried sage leaves, and your favorite topping (here, I used a combination of shaved walnuts and nutritional yeast - but you can use parmesan or pecorino if you are not vegan).
Notes
Make it ahead: You can easily meal prep the butternut squash sauce ahead of time.
Simply follow the instructions to prepare the butternut squash sauce, then let it cool slightly before storing it in airtight containers.
You can then store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze it for up to 1-2 months in the refrigerator.
Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta, and if you want to make it richer in protein, use chickpea pasta or lentil pasta instead.
Make it lighter: Instead of using plant-based milk, just use vegetable broth or water to blend.
Nutrition
Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Sugar: 8g