Cheesy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

Ingredients

Ingredients

a whole butternut squash- peeled, seeded and cubed
1 large yellow onion, peeled and rough chopped into quarters
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 Tbsp dried or fresh thyme
sea salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups of veggie OR bone broth
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of Tabasco (omit if serving to kids)
1 cup of raw cashews (soaked in water overnight & drained) *
IF not dairy free, the following cheeses pair so well with this:

1/3 cup grated parmesan
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
1/3 cup of grated Manchego cheese

If vegan, don’t worry. The cashews are the CHEESE. No cashews? You could also take a shortcut and add 1/2 cup of cashew cream cheese or standard cream cheese if not vegan or dairy-free.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 425F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Add your butternut squash, onions, garlic, sage, thyme, sea salt, pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Bake for ~30-35 mins.
2. While the squash is roasting; I like to prep my pasta. Use any pasta of your choice and follow the instructions on said box.
3. When the squash is done roasting, add the liquid (bone or veggie broth) first to your blender, the drained cashews, and the roasted veggies. As a final step; add your red pepper flakes & Tabasco and blend until smooth.
4. Bring the velvety sauce out of the blender and pour it into a large saucepan and warm it over medium/low heat.
5. IF adding cheese, you can add it to the sauce once it’s in the pan and starting to bubble, it will thicken nicely.
6. As a final step, bring the drained pasta of your choice and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss to coat. Add some more red pepper flakes and coarse black pepper. I topped mine with a bit of grated Manchego (a sheep-based cheese that’s easier to digest and delicious)
7. ENJOY!