Description
This Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta is a comforting and nutritious dish that combines roasted butternut squash, aromatic herbs, and cashews to create a velvety sauce that beautifully coats rotini pasta. Enhanced with shallots, garlic, nutritional yeast, and a touch of balsamic vinegar, this recipe is ideal for those seeking a dairy-free, vegetarian meal that’s rich in flavor and texture. Served with optional sautéed broccoli, it offers a balanced and satisfying dinner perfect for cozy nights.
Ingredients
Scale
Squash and Roasting
- ½ small butternut squash, halved vertically and seeded
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 shallots, coarsely chopped (â…” cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Sauce
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon salt (for sauce)
- Freshly ground black pepper, several grinds (for sauce)
Pasta and Serving
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (for final seasoning)
- Sautéed broccoli (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare for roasting: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Roast the squash and aromatics: Drizzle the halved butternut squash with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet. Wrap the chopped shallots and unpeeled garlic cloves in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then place the foil packet on the baking sheet. Roast everything for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Blend the sauce: Carefully scoop out 1 cup of the roasted butternut squash flesh and transfer it to a blender. Add the roasted shallots, peeled garlic cloves, ¾ cup water, raw cashews, 2 tablespoons olive oil, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, fresh sage leaves, fresh thyme leaves, ¾ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Blend the ingredients until completely smooth and creamy, creating the luscious pasta sauce.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta water for later use.
- Combine and serve: Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the pot. Pour in the creamy butternut squash sauce and stir thoroughly to coat the pasta. Add between ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency. Adjust seasoning with ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt and additional freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with extra thyme leaves and top with sautéed broccoli if desired. Serve immediately for a warm, comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute rotini pasta with any short pasta shape like penne or fusilli.
- If you prefer a nuttier flavor, try roasting the garlic cloves without foil to caramelize them slightly.
- Soaking raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes before blending can create an even creamier sauce.
- To make this recipe vegan, ensure that the nutritional yeast you use is certified vegan.
- The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently and add reserved pasta water to loosen before serving.
