Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

Roasted butternut squash and garlic with fusilli and a pourable cashew-almond sauce. Adapted from Minimalist Baker.

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium to large butternut squash (about 3 cups once scooped)
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil, plus 1 teaspoon for the onion
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled (2 left whole for roasting, 2 for the sauce)
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or oat milk)
• 10 ounces pasta (gluten-free brown rice fusilli works well)
• 1/3 cup very thinly sliced onion or shallot
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Optional: sage, vegan Parmesan, extra red pepper flakes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Halve the squash lengthwise and leave the skin on. Scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut side with oil, salt, and pepper. Set the two whole garlic cloves on the sheet and cover them with the squash, cut-side down, so they don’t burn. Roast 35–40 minutes, until a knife slips in easily and the skin is blistered.
3. Soak the cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes, then drain.
4. Boil salted water and cook the pasta until just tender. Drain, and toss with a little oil if it will sit for a few minutes.
5. Blend the soaked cashews with the remaining two garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, almond milk, and the roasted garlic from under the squash until the sauce is smooth and pourable. Taste and add more salt, nutritional yeast, or raw garlic if you want more punch.
6. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of oil. Sauté the onion or shallot with a pinch of red pepper flakes until tender and lightly browned, 2–3 minutes. Turn the heat to low.
7. Add the pasta, spoonfuls of the very soft roasted squash (leave some chunks), and the sauce. Toss gently just until warmed through.
8. Serve as is, or finish with sage, vegan Parmesan, or more red pepper flakes. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days; loosen with a splash of dairy-free milk when reheating.