Butternut Squash Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
This healthy grain and dairy free spin on pasta with alfredo sauce is so comforting. Butternut squash noodles are used in place of pasta and smothered in a creamy 3-ingredient cashew alfredo sauce that’s vegan and dairy free. This 30 minute pasta dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
I have died and gone to pasta heaven. This recipe is SO GOOD!
I have been really hesitant to make a cashew based cream sauce for pasta due to the number of overly thick and heavy ones I have tried. I decided to finally bite the bullet and try and make an alfredo sauce that is both creamy and light.
This sauce completely blows my mind! I had a list of about 8 ingredients I was planning on adding in to get the flavour and consistency right, but had to stop after 3, because it was absolutely perfect! That’s right, just 3 ingredients!!!
This is one of those recipes that I would happily serve to a less health conscious eater and be confident that they would enjoy it. It really closely resembles all of the delicious flavours of a traditional alfredo, but is so much healthier!
Butternut squash pasta is the perfect base for this cashew alfredo sauce. The noodles are tender but not mushy and add a delicious richness in flavour to the dish. When buying butternut squash for pasta, look for one with a long straight top half as this is the only part that you can spiralize.
If you can find already spiralized raw butternut squash noodles in the grocery store then I would recommend using them to make life a whole lot easier. I love the rich flavour of butternut squash and use them regularly in my cooking, but if you are not on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet the sweet potato noodles would also work well in this recipe.
Although the butternut squash pasta and Cashew Alfredo Sauce are wonderful on their own, the peas and crisp prosciutto are icing on the cake. The peas add a delicious burst of freshness to each bite while the prosciutto adds a crisp saltiness that makes this dish even more addicting. Pancetta or bacon would also work well in place of the prosciutto, or can be replaced with a pinch of salt for a vegetarian/vegan option.
Here are a few other veggie noodle recipes that you might enjoy!
- Butternut Squash Noodles with Tahini Lemon Sauce
- Thai Curry Noodle Soup
- Asian Chicken & Noodle Soup
- Creamy Tomato Sauce with Zucchini Noodles
- Zucchini Noodles with Pesto, Prosciutto & Pine Nuts
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Butternut Squash Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash or you can buy pre cut noodles (approx 5 cups noodles)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped bacon
- 2/3 cup cashews, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup frozen peas or 1 cup spinach
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (395 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Peel the butternut squash and spiralize into noodles or use a julienne peeler to cut thin noodles
- Place the butternut squash pasta on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes until al dent.
- Combine the cashews, garlic, almond milk, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet along with the frozen peas or spinach and heat until warm. Add in the butternut squash pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Top with chopped parsley before serving.
Nutrition
It looks stunning! I decide to make it this weekend, I love it right the moment I see the picture. Such a wonderful dish!
geometry dash
honestly, it looks stunning! I love it!
I decide to make it this weekend
I will tell you the result later
geometry dash
Quick question, does it matter what kind of cashews? Roasted, raw, salted, etc?
I recommend using raw cashews as they have the least amount of flavour. Roasted and/or salted will add a strong nutty flavour to the sauce.
Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
I love butternut squash noodles but find they break up so easily. Very interested to try this baking method.
We use a lot of carrot noodles which have a less intense flavor and don’t break up like the squash. If you can find giant carrots it’s great but big carrots work well too.
It is honestly a HUGE favorite! On my weekly menu rotation and I tell all my friends about it because a) it’s creamy, b) it leaves you feeling full and satisfied and NOT weighed down, c) it’s a 20 minute meal, d) delicious if you add some chicken on top 😉
Enjoy and spread the love! Thanks for an easy, nutritious and colorful recipe for my family!!
Just saw this is my second review on this recipe – just shows how much I LOVE IT!!!
A weekly staple in our house! We top with grilled chicken breasts or thighs and IT. IS. DELISH!! Highly recommend for flavor + it’s a 15 minute meal!
Thank you for the recipe. It looks delicious, but it didn’t come together for me. The sauce tasted way too sweet and nutty, almost like almond butter. I might try it again using water with a squeeze of lemon instead of almond milk and maybe add some nutritional yeast to make the sauce more savory. It must be me since everyone else gave it such rave reviews!!
Hi there! Have you tried using almond milk that is unsweetened and completely plain? That’s what we use and there’s not the slightest nutty/sweet texture. Hope this helps!