Butternut Squash Pasta (High-Protein!)

This high-protein Butternut Squash Pasta is the coziest pasta that’s perfect for chilly days! Velvety smooth and the perfect balance of naturally sweet and savoury, plus it’s got a big protein boost thanks to a secret ingredient! It’s the most luxurious pasta you’ll ever make, but with the most humble ingredients.

Watch how to make this Butternut Squash Pasta on my YouTube channel, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Ingredients & Inspiration

Butternut squash is undoubtedly my favourite squash of all, hands down. Naturally sweet, subtly earthy and so tender once cooked, it’s the kind of squash that can be transformed into literally anything: Chili, soup, roasts, and pasta sauce. Yup, and my recipe for Butternut Squash Pasta is so stinkin’ easy and delicious, I guarantee you’ll be making it on repeat once you try it. Did I mention that it’s got 26g of protein per serving? 💪🏼 That’s thanks to a sneaky block of firm tofu, which you will not taste in the sauce, promise!

When it comes to sweet and savoury, this pasta hits all the notes. It’s garlicky and subtly cheesy (like an alfredo sauce) but also naturally sweet, thanks to caramelizing the squash in the oven. Lawd, have mercy.

There’s not many ingredients in this recipe, and luckily, you probably have the majority of them in your kitchen right now:

• a butternut squash
• onion
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• nutritional yeast
• firm tofu
• vegetable or vegan chicken broth
• chickpea, lentil or durum wheat pasta

How to Make Butternut Squash Pasta

Everything gets roasted up on a sheet pan, then blended with a few flavourful additions. Toss in some cooked pasta, and ba-da-bing, delicious Butternut Squash Pasta!

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400° F and grab large sheet pan.
2. Peel and cube the butternut squash into large chunks, and transfer to the sheet pan, along with a whole onion cut in half, plus a head of garlic with the top ¼ sliced off. Drizzle with olive oil and give it all a toss, and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking, until the squash is fork tender, golden on the edges and slightly caramelized.
3. In the meantime, boil your pasta water and cook the pasta until almost al dente, then drain off the water (but make sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta water).
4. Transfer the squash and onion to a high-speed blender, and carefully squeeze out the soft roasted garlic out of the skin. You might want to protect your fingers with a folded paper towel while handling the hot garlic.
5. Add the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, vegan chicken bouillon, fresh sage or rosemary and crumble in the block of tofu. Press the ingredients down with your hands or a spatula, and pour in the hot water. Seal the lid and blend on high speed until you have a thick, smooth and creamy sauce. Add extra water if needed to help it blend. TIP: You might need to blend the sauce in 2 batches if your blender isn’t large enough for all the ingredients.
6. Transfer the sauce to the pot your noodles were cooking in, and warm through over medium heat until steaming hot. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or pepper as needed. Toss the noodles, until coated in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
7. Serve in bowls, and garnish with a fresh sprig or two of sage or rosemary, a grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Squash Your Fall Cravings

When the chilly nights come around and the craving for cozy comes calling, this Butternut Squash Pasta hits the spot. It’s simple enough to throw in your weekly meal prep rotation or to feed a large family, but also luxurious enough to make for a cozy date night in when you want a restaurant quality bowl of pasta.

Loved this recipe? You might also like some of my other pasta recipes like Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff, Protein Pesto Pasta, or Caramelized Onion Rosé Pasta!

Lastly, if you made this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!