In today’s cooking class I am sharing a couple of Fall, Halloween-themed healthy recipes. I decided to go with the color orange, and recipes using squash. Because, even though it may not feel like it in the Carolinas (hello 90 degrees!), it is technically Fall. One of the recipes is an oldie from my blog, Creamy Butternut Squash Carbonara that is gluten free and dairy free. I wanted to share that recipe again, with some updates. I also worked on a gluten free pumpkin muffin recipe, that turned out really well. I will share that soon, too!
For today’s version, I used the rotini from Trader Joe’s made with brown rice and quinoa. But your favorite gluten free pasta would work. As mentioned in the recipe, the squash can be roasted ahead of time! Just reheat before blending into the sauce. This is a rich, decadent meal, but is mostly made with vegetables!
I know I sound like a broken record, but y’all, my Vitamix is one of my best friends. I use it daily, sometimes twice a day. And a great blender is key to sauces like this, plus my daily smoothies. Ours is refurbished, aka cheaper, yet it works like a champ! Highly recommend.
| Prep Time | 1 hour |
| Cook Time | 1 |
| Servings |
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- 1 butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, cut into large (1 inch cube) dice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for the pasta water
- salt
- pepper
- 1 onion sliced very thin
- 8 slices bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 lb gluten free pasta (I used quinoa pasta)
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (full fat coconut milk in the can; use mostly the cream part, rather than the liquid)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil optional
- 8-12 fresh sage leaves optional
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way full with water. Add a couple tablespoons of salt, and some olive oil to the water. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Cover a large sheet tray or roasting pan with parchment paper. Lay the cut butternut squash out on the tray, drizzle with 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- While the butternut squash is cooking, cook the bacon pieces. Remove the cooked bacon from the grease, and place onto a plate covered in a paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
- Add the onions to the pan with the remaining bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until they are caramelized well. (Mine were almost crunchy). Only stir the onions two to three times as they cook.
- Once the squash has been in the oven for 35 minutes, boil the pasta until al dente. Once done, drain, but keep 1 1/2 cups of pasta water set aside.
- In a blender, add the cooked butternut squash, the coconut cream, 1 spoonful of caramelized onions, and 3/4 cup of pasta water. Blend until smooth. If it is still very thick, add more pasta water and blend again. You want the consistency to be thick, but just slightly liquid so it can be tossed with the pasta. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- This step is OPTIONAL: While making the sauce, heat the coconut oil in a small stainless pan over medium-high heat. Once it is very hot, quickly fry the sage leaves, just a few at a time. Remove and lay on a plate covered with a paper towel. Season with a dash of sea salt.
- Toss the warm pasta with the butternut squash sauce. To serve, top with bacon crumbles, caramelized onions, and a couple fried sage leaves (or use a couple of fresh leaves for garnish if you chose not to fry them).
- *Make-Ahead Tip: -Roast the squash ahead of time, and re-heat before making the sauce.
I can’t wait to try this! It looked amazing when you posted it on your IG stories.
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!!