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Butternut Squash Carbonara

Butternut Squash Carbonara

With the holiday season upon us and the obvious glory of winter squashes, VEGWORLD is elated to partner with Thrilling Foods to present a holiday recipe that is geared to wow the crowds and stun the skeptics at your next party! Behold the decadent, plant-based Butternut Squash Carbonara!

Butternut Squash Carbonara

Total Time

< 45 mins. Depends on how you operate in the kitchen.

Yield: 3-4 servings but it’s SO DELICIOUS it could pass for 1!

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1½ cups cubed butternut squash (used Trader Joe’s pre-cut butternut squash)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • ½ medium-size shallot 
  • 1 cup pre-soaked cashews (or ½ cup plant milk of your choice)
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 3 Tbsp JUST Egg
  • ½ tsp black salt (kala namak for a subtle “egginess”)
  • ½ Tbsp Nutritional yeast
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme – chopped
  • 3 sage leaves chopped
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (can adjust based on heat preference)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Bakon

  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (if using powder, 1.5 tsp should suffice. Can adjust to your taste)
  • 6 strips Thrilling Foods Vegan Bakon

For the Pasta

  • Use any pasta of your choice! We recommend linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine.

Toppings (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place the butternut squash on a lined baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or till sufficiently roasted (baking times may vary based on your oven).
  4. Start cooking your pasta in salted water till al dente.
  5. In the meantime, chop the garlic cloves and shallots.
  6. Heat the 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
  7. Once the pan is heated, add the shallots, garlic, sage, and thyme. Sauté till fragrant. 
  8. Transfer the contents of the pan (from #7), pre-soaked cashews (or plant milk), roasted butternut squash, vegetable broth, JUST Egg, black salt, and nutritional yeast to a blender.
  9. Let the blender do its magic. Adjust the consistency as desired. If it’s too thick, you can add more plant milk, broth, or water based on your preference. NOTE: let the contents cool before blending if you don’t want a sauce explosion in your kitchen.
  10. Chop up the Bakon slices and prepare according to the instructions from the Thrilling Foods experts. (NOTE: We added chopped garlic and rosemary when heating up the oil to add a little extra oomph!)
  11. Pour the sauce from the blender onto a pan on medium-low heat, stirring constantly (we don’t want the just egg to scramble, unless that’s your preference).
  12. Add the smoked paprika, crushed pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
  13. Stir in the al dente pasta and allow it to cook through in the sauce.
  14. Mix in the garlic-rosemary Bakon.
  15. Add more salt and pepper to taste/ adjust seasonings according to your preference.
  16. Garnish with the toppings you desire and Bon Appétit!

Recipe Note

We hope you enjoy this recipe! Remember, this is just a guide that you can use as an inspiration. If you don’t have some of the ingredients, no need to fret. It’s not the end of the world. If you want to swap out some of the ingredients or leave them out all together, it’s completely up to you! Feel free to tap into your own creativity and add seasonings, veggies, or whatever fixings that will make YOU enjoy the dish!