PSA – this recipe, although she is orange, cute and very cheesy looking, is NOT meant to be a mac n’ cheese recreation! (Although I did use macaroni shells which in retrospect is…well that’s my bad).
But what this recipe is is an amazing, whole foods, super healthy, super creamy pasta sauce that uses warm spices, fresh ginger, coconut milk, mashed butternut squash and spicy red pepper flakes to bring together one of the most unique pasta sauces of all time. I only say it’s unique because these flavor combos are usually found in southeast African cuisine, so they aren’t normally added on top of pasta, but this is the type of fusion I can get behind!
Another question I get a lot for this recipe is if it’s good for meal prep. And let me tell you, this is one of my go-tos for lunches for the week. The sauce is a flavor that I never get sick of, the coconut milk has healthy fats that keep me full, it’s a great way to add an extra source of vegetables, and I feel satiated without feeling weighed-down. All you need to do is add a protein source or some veg and you can pack it for the week! Plus if you aren’t a big pasta person, this sauce is also amazing on rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or really whatever you are feeling that week!
And just a few tips to keep in mind as you make this:
- I find it’s easiest to cube my squash before roasting it, that way I can mash it easily and save the rest of the roasted squash for other parts of meal prep for the week!
- When mashing your squash, it definitely doesn’t have to be perfect, especially because we end up blending it any way!
- No ginger or garlic on hand? You can use ginger powder and garlic powder as well. It won’t be as aromatic, but it will get the job done (and we’re all about keeping it easy and affordable here!)
- You will need a blender for this recipe. You can find my favorite blender here, and an immersion blender option that I love here.
Butternut Squash Pasta
Equipment
- Small Pot
- Medium sized pan or skillet
- Immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash mashed
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small onion diced about 100g
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 box dried pasta of choice 16 oz.
Instructions
- Roast your squash in the oven at 425F for 30 minutes. Bring it out of the oven and let it cool.
- Mash 1 cup of squash until it is smooth.
- In a skillet on medium heat, pour in the olive oil and then add the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until it get aromatic.
- Add in the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. While the onion is cooking, season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Then add in the butternut squash and stir to combine.
- Gradually add in the coconut milk, stirring constantly to mix into a (chunky) but creamy sauce. Continue to season to taste.
- Either use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, or remove the sauce from the pan, blend, and replace back on low heat to keep it warm while you make the pasta.
- Boil the pasta as directed, and reserve a small amount of pasta water. Pour your sauce into the pasta and add a splash of pasta water to help it combine.
- Top with either nutritional yeast, parsley, basil or more red pepper flakes!
