Walnut Pasta With Butternut Squash

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Butternut squash – To cut down on prep time, you can usually find cubed butternut squash in the produce section at the grocery store.
• Olive oil
• Black pepper – I love coarsely ground black pepper in pasta; it adds texture and some visual appeal too.
• Walnuts – Like cashews, walnuts blend into a luxurious cream sauce when soaked in water.
• Water
• Miso paste – I love using miso instead of just plain salt because it has a more flavor. It's salty, but it also adds an umami flavor to the dish that works so well.
• Garlic
• Shallot – I like using shallots over onions because I think they're sweeter and less spicy tasting. They're just kind of mellow!
• Nutritional yeast – My secret to giving a recipe a “cheesy” flavor without actually adding cheese!
• Lemon
• Chickpea pasta – Or your pasta of choice.
• Spinach – Baby spinach wilts quickly, adding some greens to your dinner without extending the cooking time.
• Fresh sage – Sage pairs well with the autumnal flavors in this walnut pasta. 

How To Make Walnut Pasta

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and pepper.
• Roast the squash. Transfer the squash to a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it's tender.
• Soak the walnuts. Meanwhile, add the walnuts to a small bowl with hot water. Soak for at least 20 minutes, then drain and transfer the nuts to a blender.

• Make the walnut sauce. Add the nutritional yeast, miso paste, garlic, shallot, and water to the blender and blend on high until creamy.
• Cook the pasta. When there’s 10 minutes left of cooking time for the squash, cook the pasta according to the package directions. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta water and stir in the spinach. 

• Finish. Drain the pasta and spinach, then transfer it back to the pot. Stir in the squash, 2 tablespoons of pasta water, and the sauce, along with the lemon juice and sage. Toss to combine, then garnish with additional sage and walnuts.

Tips For Success

• Don't forget to soak the walnuts. This helps to soften them up and makes the sauce extra creamy.
• Use a high-powered blender. I recommend using a Vitamix or similar blender to get the creamiest sauce possible.
• Undercook your pasta slightly. I suggest cooking for about 1 minute less than most packages recommend. Chickpea pasta in particular is prone to breaking apart when combined with sauce and other add-ins, so this helps it keep its shape.
• Reserve some cooking liquid to add to the sauce. The starch in the cooking liquid helps bring it all together, resulting in a perfect creamy sauce.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy walnut pasta recipe is amazing on its own, but you could also serve it with a side of Oven Roasted Root Vegetables or a simple green salad. This Fall Salad with Roasted Acorn Squash + Pomegranates would be perfect!

Variations

• Try another green. Swap the spinach for kale if you want a more robust green in this recipe.
• Add some protein. Add crispy chickpeas or crispy baked tofu to your walnut pasta. If you're not vegan, feel free to add in some cooked chicken or sausage.
• Swap out the butternut squash. Substitute the butternut squash with sweet potatoes or another variety of winter squash. 

How To Store

• Refrigerator: Transfer walnut pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the texture of the sauce and pasta will change.
• To reheat: I recommend tossing the pasta into a pan with a splash of water, but if you're bringing it to work and don't have access to a stove, a microwave will work as well.

More Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes To Try

• Vegan Cacio e Pepe Pasta
• Rustic Tuscan Pasta with White Beans
• Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Pumpkin Alfredo Noodles
• Easy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff