Description
A creamy and comforting one-pot vegan pasta bake featuring sweet butternut squash and a rich cashew cream sauce. Perfect for a cozy fall meal.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 pound pasta (penne, rotini, or your favorite shape)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours or overnight
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, combine the cubed butternut squash, pasta, vegetable broth, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the pasta and squash are simmering, drain the soaked cashews.
- In a blender, combine the drained cashews with 1/2 cup of fresh water until you have a smooth, creamy cashew cream. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cashew cream until a smooth sauce forms.
- Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and the squash is tender.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
- For quicker cashew soaking, boil raw cashews in water for 10 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning to your preference.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like spinach or kale in the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired