A healthy weeknight dinner never got easier than this yummy creamy butternut squash pasta. Talk about comfort food that is healthy, delicious, and simple.
Finding easy, healthy weeknigh dinner ideas can be a nightmare when you are pressed for time yet want something, still want something healthy, and that doesn’t skimp on taste.
One of my goals is to bring you easy weeknight dinner recipes that have passed my three criteria,
1. Healthy or healthy-ish
2. Simple (no crazy complicated tools or ingredients)
3. Taste (they must make my mouth shout thank you!)
I find that butternut squash recipes are so easy in general because butternut squash doesn’t take a lot of cooking time and is so versatile.
If I can save you time and simplify things when it comes to getting a healthy meal on the table, then I say success.
I pulled this creamy vegan butternut squash pasta from two different recipes to bring you the best version, and then I added my own little twist to bring you the final fabulous dish.
I enjoy coming up with my own recipes, but I also like being your test kitchen and trying out recipes that I find here and there, seeing how I can make them healthier, simpler, and definately full of flavor.
I have a feeling that you will still love this easy vegan dinner, even if you are not vegan.
In the recipe card, I have included some tips. For example, if you want to make this nonvegan, you can swap out the vegetable stock for chicken stock, which works just as well.
I want to give away only some of the tips right away, so keep reading to find more tips.
Butternut squash recipes are great because butternut squash is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is a nutrient-packed veggie that you can feel good about eating.
Butternut squash contains vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Fiber does wonders for your digestive system and is going to help you feel fuller for longer.
Another win for butternut squash is that it is nutrient-dense, which means that it is a food that is high in nutrients and relatively low in calories.
Enough about how fantastic butternut squash is. Let’s get back to this butternut squash recipe.
Ok, y’all (sorry, I am a Texas girl, so y’all works, lol). The best part about this recipe is how creamy and rich it is and is still super healthy.
Comfort food and healthy don’t seem to go together, but in this recipe, they sure do.
I get so excited talking about this recipe because it is one of those quick and easy dinner recipes that is also super healthy and loaded with the good stuff. When I say good stuff, I mean healthy carbs, fiber, vitamins, and some.
The pasta I use is whole wheat pasta that, like butternut squash, is a nutrient-dense food and a little goes a long way. You don’t have to put a lot on your plate to feel satisfied.
You can use any pasta you like; it doesn’t have to be whole wheat. I like to have whole grain over white past because of its nutrient value. You can use white pasta or a chickpea; lentil pasta is totally up to you.
You can also use spaghetti linguine, bowtie pasta, or whatever sounds good. You can not go wrong with the type of pasta you choose.
For kids, a shell pasta or macaroni pasta is always fun.
This is one of those butternut squash recipes that I can AND often make on repeat when butternut squash is in season. It is creamy, rich, comforting, and, not to leave out, HEALTHY!!
I can not say it enough: it is all about easy weeknight dinners in my house that are healthy as well. The cherry on top!
As always, from my heart to yours, I hope you enjoy it!
PrintCreamy Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta
Who doesn’t like an easy weeknight dinner that is healthy, simple and down right delicious. This creamy vegan butternut squash pasta is comfort food that you can feel good about eating. It is healthy and full of that creamy richness that is what comfort food is all about.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped frsh basil (optional, this is for garnishing)
- 2 pounds peeled butternut squash cut into 1/2 cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic glove chopped finely or pressed
- 1//8 teaspoon peper flakes (optional)
- Salt
- 1.5 cups vegtable broth
- 1/5 cup full fat coconut milk
- 12 ounces pasta such as linguine or fettucine
Instructions
- In a skillet or pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, onion, squash and mix together on medium heat. Once the veggies are coated cook for about 5 min stirring occasionaly till the onions are translucent. Add the vegtable broth and cover for about 15min till the squash is nice and soft.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil with a tablespoon of olive oil and salt. The salt add flavor to the water and the oilve oil is so that the past doesn’t stick together while cooking. Add the past to the water and cook till the past is aldene. Save a cup of the pasta water before draining and set aside.
- Once the squash mixture is done let it cool down for about 10min before adding it to the blender. Add the mixture along with the coconut milk and blend. (Make sure the coconut milk is mixed well so that the fat and milk are not seperated.)
- Add salt to the mixture to taste
- Transfer the drained pasta, squash mixture and 1/2 cup of the pasta water back to the skillet or pan, coat the past well with the mixture and cook for about 2 min till the flavors are all married.
- Serve nice and warm with a cheese and enjoy.
Notes
- If not making this vegan you can add chicken broth instead of vegtable broth and heavy cream instead of coconut milk.
- Also you can add the peper flakes if desired.
- You can use a vegan cheese or a dairy parmigiana cheese.
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