Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Serves 4
Roasted squash, sage, and thyme fill this creamy butternut squash pasta with cozy autumn flavor. Serve it with sautéed broccoli or any veggie side dish you like.
Ingredients
- ½ small butternut squash, halved vertically and seeded
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 shallots, coarsely chopped (⅔ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- Sauteed broccoli, for serving, optional
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.