Buzz
For those who avoid cheese or are sensitive to dairy, mac and cheese may seem like a distant memory, a comfort food from a time when you were blissfully unaware of what caused stomach discomfort. But with a little help from nature (and plants), you can enjoy creamy pasta once again. Whether you're vegan, dislike cheese, or looking to adopt a lower-fat lifestyle, this butternut squash pasta sauce offers an amazing alternative for mac and ‘cheese.’
Butternut squash boasts a naturally sweet and dense texture with a gorgeous orange color, making it easy to imagine how wonderfully cheesy the sauce will appear. You can also recreate this dish using any squash with similar characteristics, like acorn, delicata, buttercup, or sugar pumpkin. When squash season ends, don’t hesitate to use frozen butternut squash chunks whenever the craving hits.
How to prepare butternut squash pasta sauce
By adding savory elements, the sweet flavor of the squash is balanced, revealing a surprisingly cheesy taste. Begin by preparing the squash: peel and deseed it, cutting it into one-inch cubes. Steam about 2 cups of the squash in a steamer basket, though roasting or boiling are also options. Aim for a soft texture, easily pierced by a fork.
While the squash cooks, prepare two servings of pasta. Roughly chop one or two shallots and sauté them in a pan with some oil. Combine the squash and shallots in a food processor or blender, adding 2/3 cup of pasta water. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and a crack of black pepper. Blend on high for two to three minutes until smooth.
Once the mixture is smooth and has cooled slightly, add two tablespoons of vegan margarine or butter. Pulse the mixture until the fat is fully incorporated. Toss this creamy sauce with the cooked pasta and serve.
My food processor couldn’t achieve the smoothness I wanted, so I transferred the mixture to a tall cup and used an immersion blender for a silkier finish. For optimal results, ensure that the squash is thoroughly cooked or even overcooked.
This sauce is savory, creamy, and wonderfully salty when mixed with pasta, but I’m sure it would also be amazing over roasted broccoli. The best part is that you can use a generous amount of sauce without guilt since it's mostly squash. Though it lacks the stretch of real cheese, it’s a great substitute for traditional roux-based cheese sauces. This butternut squash pasta sauce is versatile – feel free to experiment with herbs, yogurt, mustard, or, if you're a meat eater, add bacon. Squash and bacon make a fantastic combo.
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups cubed butternut squash
2 small shallots, chopped
½ teaspoon oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
A crack of black pepper
⅔ cup pasta water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
Toss the butternut squash into a steamer to cook until very tender. Meanwhile, sauté the shallots in a pan with the oil until tender.
Add the shallots and cooked squash to a food processor or blender along with the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and pasta water. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible, about three minutes. Add the margarine and pulse until fully incorporated and smooth. Serve over veggies, with proteins, or toss with two servings of cooked pasta for mac and “cheese.”
