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Janelle Carss

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.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dessert, Main Course
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 445
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed in large chunks
  • 1 medium onion, cut in half
  • 1 bulb of garlic, top ¼ sliced off
  • 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 12-oz block of firm tofu, pressed
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves (sub 1 tbsp fresh rosemary)
  • 3 cups hot water
  • 1½ tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder (sub 1 tbsp veggie broth paste)
  • 3 cups hot water, plus more as needed
  • 10 oz high-protein pasta of choice (chickpea, lentil, durum wheat)

Equipment

  • 1 High-Speed Blender

Method
 

  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. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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!

Video

Notes

Macros per serving (serves 5):
  • Calories: 445
  • Protein: 26
  • Carbs: 71g
  • Fats: 8g