Name: VEGAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA SAUCE
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 16-20 oz butternut squash, peeled and chopped; 1 small red bell pepper; 1/3 CUP diced white or sweet onion; 1/4 CUP chopped celery; 1 TSP salt; 1/4 TSP pepper; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/2 TSP oregano; 1/2 TSP basil; 1/4 TSP thyme; 2 TSP olive oil; 14.5 oz can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes; 1 TBSP sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 3 TBSP nutritional yeast, optional; 1/4 TSP of ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, optional

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Elevate your pasta experience with this flavorful vegan butternut squash pasta sauce! It is incredibly delicious and creamy! The sauce comes together with roasted butternut squash, spices, and fire-roasted tomatoes for added flavor. It has a luscious texture and naturally sweet flavor. This pasta sauce is a versatile addition to a variety of pasta dishes. Serve it with penne pasta or your favorite pasta alternative.

Why You Will Love This Vegan Pasta Sauce

It has the hearty, sweet flavors of butternut squash.
Fire-roasted tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes add another layer of flavor to the sauce.
We roasted the ingredients, which enhances the flavor.
This sauce is easy to prepare and delicious with your favorite pasta.
You can store any leftover sauce to have on hand for a quick and flavorful meal.
This pasta sauce is warm, creamy, and full of classic autumn flavors.

What Is Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce?

Butternut squash pasta sauce is a pasta sauce made with butternut squash. The butternut squash is chopped into cubes and roasted in the oven with red bell pepper, onion, celery, and spices. Then, these ingredients are blended with a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes to add extra flavor. Once done, you have a delicious and creamy pasta sauce that is naturally vegan!

Ingredients For Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients for butternut squash pasta sauce

Butternut Squash: Peel and chop one butternut squash or use pre-chopped butternut squash.
Red Bell Pepper: The red bell pepper adds flavor to this sauce. It is roasted with the butternut squash.
Onion: Use diced white or sweet onion in this recipe.
Celery: Chop the celery and roast it to add flavor.
Seasonings: Season the roasted ingredients with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, and thyme.
Olive Oil: Use olive oil when roasting the ingredients.
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Use a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Chop sun-dried tomatoes and add them to a bowl with hot water. They add so much flavor to the pasta sauce.
Nutritional Yeast: As an option, add nutritional yeast for a cheesy component in this sauce.

How To Cut Butternut Squash

For this recipe, you can use pre-chopped butternut squash or chop a butternut squash yourself. If you chop the butternut squash yourself, cut the ends off and peel it. Then, carefully cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Next, cut it into even-sized cubes.

How To Make Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Step 1: Peel and chop the butternut squash. Also, slice the red bell pepper, dice the onion, and chop the celery.

Step 2: Add the chopped butternut squash, red bell pepper, onion, and celery to a large bowl. Then, add pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, olive oil, and half of the salt to the bowl. After that, thoroughly mix these ingredients.

Step 3: Add the ingredients in the large bowl to a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, bake them at 400° F for 30 minutes or until the butternut squash is fully cooked.

Step 4: While the ingredients are roasting, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes to a heat-safe bowl. Then, pour enough filtered hot water into the bowl to cover the sun-dried tomatoes. Let the sun-dried tomatoes soak and rehydrate while the ingredients roast.

Step 5: Transfer the roasted ingredients to a heat-safe blender. Then, add the diced fire-roasted tomatoes and remaining salt to the blender. Also, add the sun-dried tomatoes and the water they were soaked in. Optional: Add nutritional yeast for a slightly cheesy flavor. Thoroughly blend all of the ingredients until smooth.

Step 6: Heat the sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat on the stove until warm. Also, add your rinsed and drained cooked pasta or pasta alternative. Mix the pasta with the sauce, top with optional red pepper flakes, and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Cut The Squash Evenly: Cut the butternut squash into even-sized cubes, about 1 inch in size, so they cook at the same rate in the oven when you roast them.
Pre-Chopped Squash: To make this pasta sauce even easier, use pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash.
Soak The Sun-Dried Tomatoes: To rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes and give this sauce the best flavor, add tnem to a heat-resistant bowl with enough filtered hot water to cover them. Let the sun-dried tomatoes soak while the vegetables roast.
Don’t Drain The Tomatoes: Don’t drain the water that the sun-dried tomatoes soaked in. Instead, add the sun-dried tomatoes and the water to the blender.

How To Use Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Serve It With Pasta: Serve this sauce with penne pasta or your favorite pasta shape. We used Fiber Gourmet Pasta, for 15% off use code healthyfoodiegirl.
Use A Pasta Alternative: This sauce is delicious with various pasta alternatives. Some options are spaghetti squash, hearts of palm pasta, zucchini noodles, and lentils.
Toasted Bread: Dip some toasted bread into this pasta sauce.
Use It As A Pizza Sauce: You can use this sauce as a pizza sauce.
Serve With Side Dishes: Serve it with some of our side dishes such as our brussels sprout salad, Caesar salad, and crispy green beans.
Add Toppings: As an option, top this dish with grated parmesan cheese or vegan cheese to keep this recipe vegan. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top for a kick of heat. Fresh chopped basil is another great topping.

How To Store And Reheat Pasta Sauce

To Store: Store leftover butternut squash pasta sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then, enjoy this sauce within 3-5 days. Also, you can freeze this sauce in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months. Let the sauce cool before storing it.

To Reheat: Reheat this sauce in a microwave-safe container in the microwave. Or, you can heat this sauce in a saucepan over low heat on the stove until it is warm. If the sauce is frozen, place it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight and then reheat it.

Recipe Variations

Add Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free seasoning with a cheesy flavor profile. You can add three tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy component in this pasta sauce while keeping this recipe vegan.
More Butternut Squash Flavor: If you want to taste more of the butternut squash in this sauce and less of the tomatoes, you can use 6-10 ounces of diced fire-roasted tomatoes instead of the entire 14.5-ounce can.
What Type Of Onion To Use: You can use a white or sweet onion in this recipe. They add the best flavor to the sauce.
Make This Dish Gluten-Free: This pasta sauce is naturally gluten-free. To make your entire dish gluten-free, serve it with gluten-free pasta or a pasta alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Vegan?

Yes, this butternut squash pasta sauce is vegan and dairy-free!

What Does Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Taste Like?

Butternut squash pasta sauce has the flavors of sweet butternut squash and fire-roasted tomatoes. The sun-dried tomatoes and fire-roasted tomatoes add another layer of flavor that complements the butternut squash. Also, the butternut squash, onions, celery, and red bell peppers are roasted, which adds even more flavor to this sauce.

How Long Does Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce Last?

Use this butternut squash pasta sauce within 3-5 days. Store this pasta sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you enjoy it again.

Can You Freeze Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze this butternut squash pasta sauce. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze this sauce for 1-2 months.

More Recipes To Try Next!

If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you. We hope you enjoy this vegan butternut squash pasta sauce!