It’s finally FALL here in Minnesota which means candles, sweaters, boots, red wine, apple orchards, hayrides, and…SQUASH! I love this time of year. The weather gets cooler and the food gets warmer. This butternut squash pasta with thyme and fried sage is one of our favorites. There’s a little hint of cinnamon, a little garlic, a little sweetness, and A LOT of creaminess!
HOW TO MAKE THIS BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA
This pasta is super easy to make. Start by peeling and cubing your squash. Then, add the squash cubes, cashews, and garlic to a pot of boiling water. Once the squash is fork tender, drain and set aside. Cook your pasta according to package. Throw all remaining ingredients (except noodles) into a blender with your squash, garlic, and cashews and blend on high until super creamy. Pour the butternut squash mixture over the pasta and stir to combine. If you’re using sage, fry that quickly in a little olive oil and add to the top. That’s it!
WHAT OTHER PASTA CAN I USE?
There are so many different pastas out there now including low carb and gluten-free. Experiment with different types and brands. Here’s a few worth mentioning:
- Chickpea pasta – a great alternative to sneak in more nutrients and protein. Just don’t overcook it! Tolerant is a great brand if you’re new to chickpea or lentil pastas.
- Lentil pasta – one of our favorite alternatives with many health benefits like more protein and fiber.
- Quinoa pasta – try this noodle if you’re looking to up your protein.
- Brown rice pasta – use as a gluten-free alternative and to increase your protein and magnesium.
- Shirataki noodles – primarily made of fiber and contains virtually no fats, calories, or carbs.
- Zucchini noodles – spiralize a zucchini and you’ve got a low calorie alternative for this pasta sauce.
- Spaghetti squash – scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and top with some butternut squash sauce!
If you love a good pasta, try this TEMPEH BOLOGNESE WITH KALE PESTO AND ALMOND PARMESAN!
Butternut Squash Pasta with Thyme and Fried Sage
Equipment
- High-Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Rotini Pasta
- 2 Cups Butternut Squash Cubed
- 1 Cup Cashews
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 ½ Cups Vegetable Broth
- ⅓ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon White Miso Optional
- Fresh Thyme Optional
- Fresh Sage Optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add butternut squash, cashews, and garlic cloves to boiling water and cook for about 8-10 minutes, depending on size of cubes
- Once squash is fork tender, drain and let cool slightly
- Add boiled squash, cashews, garlic cloves, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, pepper, miso, and a little thyme (optional) to a high-speed blender and blend on high until super creamy (about 1-2 minutes in a Vitamix).
- Pour sauce over pasta and stir to combine
Fried Sage (Optional)
- Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat
- Once hot, add sage leaves and cook for only about 10-15 seconds each. Just long enough to crisp slightly without browning
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