Roasted Tomato and Butternut Squash Pasta

This silky smooth butternut squash pasta sauce is packed with flavour and it’s the perfect recipe to get you in the mood for Autumn! It’s made with simple and inexpensive ingredients. The sauce is vegan, but you can add your choice of protein— such as chorizo or beans.

Dairy-Free • Vegan • Vegetarian

Jump to:

• What you’ll need
• Pasta sauce instructions
• Similar recipes

What you’ll need

Ingredients:

• spirali pasta (or any type of pasta) for the sauce!
• butternut squash
• tomatoes
• onion
• lemon
• olive oil (or any other oil)
• vegetable stock (or stock cube)— I use Kallo Brand Low Salt Organic.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Blender or food processor
• Lined baking tray— I use reusable parchment paper.

[Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Instructions

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

How to safely peel and cut the butternut squash

Step 2. Carefully cut the stem off and slice the squash lengthways. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard or compost it. Note: this recipe only uses half of the squash for four servings, so adjust the serving size if needed.

Next, we are going to cube the squash. The easiest way to do this is to place the squash halve cut-side face-down and slice horizontally across the squash (~1 inch thick). Now, it’s much easier to cut the skin off with your knife, and then into cubes. Add the cubes to a lined baking tray.

How to roast the tomatoes

Step 3. Add the cherry tomatoes to the same tray and pierce them with a knife to avoid exploding or popping in the oven. Similar sized tomato varieties will also work— larger tomatoes have higher water content and they unfortunately don’t roast in the same way.

Step 4. Peel and quarter the onion, and add it to the same tray. Top everything with one squeezed lemon, followed by the olive oil. Be sure to coat the vegetables well, and distribute evenly across the baking tray. Pop these into the oven for 40 minutes and give them a good stir half way through.

Step 5. When the oven has about 20 minutes left to go, begin boiling the water for the pasta. Cook the spirali pasta according to its package. The pasta should be ready just before the oven timer goes off. Don’t forget to save the pasta water! Drain into a bowl, and set aside.

Note: Another type of pasta will work just fine! Just keep in mind the serving size may differ if you are using cups to measure, rather than grams. And if you are unsure about the serving size, when it comes to mixing in the sauce, add in a little at time to create the perfect pasta to sauce ratio.

Step 6. When the squash and onion look slightly browned and the tomatoes are flattened a bit (but, not dry), add these straight into a blender or a food processor. Note: do not add to a sealed blender such as a Nutribullet or the heat will cause pressure to build-up and explode.

How to create that silky smooth sauce

The trick to silky smooth sauce— the reserved pasta water! Blend everything together, along with the other squeezed lemon, the stock cube, and the reserved pasta water—  only add a quarter cup of pasta water at a time until desired consistency.

The reserved pasta water really brings this sauce together. It helps the sauce bind to the noodles and creates that silky smooth consistency. Don’t be afraid to keep adding more— you can always simmer it down on the stovetop if it does get too watery.

Tip: Do a quick taste test after you’ve blended everything! Everyone uses different stock brands, so you may need to add more salt and pepper— adjust it to your liking. I use Kallo brand (low salt organic vegetable) and I use 1 cube for four servings. [Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]

Step 7. Pour the sauce over the noodles and mix well. Top with your choice of protein. My three favourite toppings are diced chorizo, white beans with olive oil and herbs, and grated parmesan.

If you decide to use chorizo, dice it into small pieces and warm it in a hot pan for a few minutes. The fat will then start to break down.

If you are using beans, mix 1/2 cup of cooked white beans per serving with a dollop of olive oil, chopped herbs, sea salt flakes, and cracked black pepper.

How to store the leftovers

If you have any leftovers, place them into air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta sauce can be stored separately or with the pasta. When you want to reheat the sauce, it is best to do this with the pasta. Simply add the leftovers to a pan with a splash of the pasta water (or regular water works just fine) and the cooked pasta. Keep it on medium-heat and let it simmer until the consistency is silky smooth again. It tastes just as good the next day!

Similar recipes

Are you in the mood for another Autumn recipe? Try pan seared gnocchi with roasted pumpkin purée or sweet potato, orange, and ginger soup!