Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Sage, y’all. Feeling it. Before this creamy vegan butternut squash pasta recipe, I never had a dish that focused on sage so much as a primary driver of flavor. Sage is a member of the mint family, and it definitely shares the aromatic potency trait with its minty cousins. It has a savory, slightly peppery flavor. Be delicate with your sage use, as it can easily dominate a dish, which my wife can attest to with numerous iterations of this recipe needed to answer the question: how much sage is too much sage? You tell me, soon-to-be-if-not-already sage lovers. Whether you go light or you go heavy on it, this dish will have you swooning in no time.

This creamy vegan butternut squash recipe is easy to make, comforting, cozy, and filling. Roasted butternut squash forms the base of the sauce, which gives the pasta a warm, rich color and flavor to match. Leeks and onions lend savory earthiness to the pasta, while adding additional texture. Finally, fresh sage infuses the meal with its herbed brilliance.

how do you prepare and cook the butternut squash in this recipe?

Peel the squash, seed, and cube into 1/4 inch cubes. Place on a tin foil lined baking sheet and roast in a 400 F oven for 20-25 minutes until tender when pierced by a fork. Flip the squash once halfway through cooking time. That’s it! You’ll likely have leftover squash which you could use for salad toppings, a side dish, oatmeal topping, or a quick snack.

is butternut squash healthy? what about this butternut squash pasta?

Butternut squash is one of the most common winter squashes which means two beautiful things: it’s readily available and it’s cheap. Butternut squash also has a sweet, nutty taste that makes a delicious base for a smooth pasta sauce without all of the associated dairy and fat required to get that consistency. To add to butternut squash’s list of good qualities, it’s also loaded with loaded with vitamin A, fiber, potassium, and magnesium (Source). Like most vegetables, it’s also fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free. All in all, this pasta recipe is a lot healthier than dairy alternatives and it includes additional ingredients that pack a nutritional punch.

Feeling the vegan pasta vibes? Check out some vegan lasagna, vegan mushroom stroganoff, baked ziti, vegan stuffed shells, creamy avocado pasta, and broccoli cauliflower pasta with tahini sauce. If you make this recipe, rate it, leave a comment, and tag #plantandvine on instagram. I’d love to see your pasta masterpieces in action.

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creamy butternut squash pasta and wine pairings

This is a fairly substantial vegan pasta dish that calls for medium to full-bodied whites or light to medium-weight reds. There’s a lot of flavor happening in this recipe– creaminess and a little bit of sweet earthiness from the butternut squash and a savory pepperiness from the sage–which make it pretty versatile for wine pairings. Here are a few great options:

• Chardonnay: classic, full-bodied white wine with delicious fruitiness and creaminess that will balance nicely with the butternut squash sauce. Go for a lightly oaked or unoaked Chardonnay to preserve the fruity flavors and crisp, refreshing acidity.
  • Suggested Regions: Napa Valley or Sonoma, California
• Viognier:  not feeling the Chardonnay? Viognier’s creamy texture, high fruit flavors, and medium body make it a natural fit for this pasta dish. Viognier also has an aromatic floral nose that will wake up your senses to fully enjoy the rest of your meal.
  • Suggested Regions: Condrieu, Rhône Valley, France
• Cotes du Rhône: typically red blends based on Grenache or Syrah, with a distinct pepperiness and enough tannic structure to be a refreshing red wine pairing. Cotes du Rhône are easy drinking, food loving wines that are perfect for everyday.
  • Suggested Regions: Cotes du Rhône, France

Here’s a more detailed resource for pairing wine with pasta. If you want to learn more about wine pairing generally, head on over to my vegan food and wine pairing guide. And, if you’ve got a bottle of wine but don’t know if you should decant it, check out the Plant & Vine wine decanting guide.

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