This Vegan Saffron & Butternut Squash Pasta is a luxurious, plant-based dish that’s packed with comforting flavors and delightful textures. Roasted butternut squash blends seamlessly with the fragrant saffron and creamy vegan sauce, creating a rich and velvety pasta. Fried mint leaves and toasted pine nuts provide a crispy, nutty topping, while golden raisins add a touch of sweetness to balance the dish. Whether you’re hosting a dinner or simply indulging in a weeknight meal, this pasta is sure to impress with its beautiful colors and complex flavors.
Ingredients:
For the Pasta:
- 1 medium to small butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 3 tablespoons hot water
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 200 ml vegan cream (for cooking or heavy cream alternative)
- 2 tablespoons grated vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 500 g dry pasta (your choice, like penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
For the Topping:
- 16 to 20 fresh mint leaves, washed and dried (optional)
- 50 g raw pine nuts
- 1 handful golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Grated vegan parmesan (optional)
- Oil for frying (for mint leaves and pine nuts)
Instructions:
For the Butternut Squash Sauce:
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the diced butternut squash, chopped shallots, and garlic cloves (leave the peels on) on a baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top, and add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and starting to caramelize. Remove the garlic peels once cooked.
- Prepare the saffron: Soak the saffron threads in 3 tablespoons of hot water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted butternut squash, shallots, garlic, saffron (including the water), vegetable stock, vegan cream, vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast), and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the dry pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the rest, and set the pasta aside.
- Combine the sauce and pasta: In a large skillet, heat the butternut squash sauce over medium heat. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
For the Topping:
- Fry the mint leaves (optional): In a small pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Once hot, fry the mint leaves in batches for 10-20 seconds until crispy. Drain them on paper towels.
- Toast the pine nuts: In a dry skillet, lightly toast the pine nuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Sauté the raisins: In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and sauté the golden raisins until they puff up slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
To Serve:
- Assemble the dish: Plate the pasta and top with crispy fried mint leaves, toasted pine nuts, sautéed raisins, freshly cracked black pepper, and extra vegan parmesan if desired.
- Serve hot : and enjoy this vibrant and rich dish!
Conclusion:
This Vegan Saffron & Butternut Squash Pasta offers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and creamy flavors, enhanced by the subtle earthiness of saffron and the nutty crunch of pine nuts. The fried mint and golden raisins add a delightful finishing touch, making each bite an experience of texture and taste. It’s a dish that’s both comforting and elegant, perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight treat.
Vegan Saffron & Butternut Squash Pasta with Fried Mint and Pine Nuts
A rich and creamy butternut squash and saffronsauce is tossed with pasta and topped with fried mint, toasted pine nuts, andgolden raisins. This vegan dish is full of warm, comforting flavors and isperfect for a gourmet plant-based meal.
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 1 medium to small butternut squash peeled and diced
- 2 shallots chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves unpeeled
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 3 tablespoons hot water
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 200 ml vegan cream for cooking or heavy cream alternative
- 2 tablespoons grated vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 500 g dry pasta your choice, like penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti
For the Topping:
- 16 to 20 fresh mint leaves washed and dried (optional)
- 50 g raw pine nuts
- 1 handful golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Grated vegan parmesan optional
- Oil for frying for mint leaves and pine nuts
Instructions
For the Butternut Squash Sauce:
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the diced butternut squash, chopped shallots, and garlic cloves (leave the peels on) on a baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top, and add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and starting to caramelize. Remove the garlic peels once cooked.
- Prepare the saffron: Soak the saffron threads in 3 tablespoons of hot water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted butternut squash, shallots, garlic, saffron (including the water), vegetable stock, vegan cream, vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast), and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the dry pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the rest, and set the pasta aside.
- Combine the sauce and pasta: In a large skillet, heat the butternut squash sauce over medium heat. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
For the Topping:
- Fry the mint leaves (optional): In a small pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Once hot, fry the mint leaves in batches for 10-20 seconds until crispy. Drain them on paper towels.
- Toast the pine nuts: In a dry skillet, lightly toast the pine nuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Sauté the raisins: In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and sauté the golden raisins until they puff up slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
To Serve:
- Assemble the dish: Plate the pasta and top with crispy fried mint leaves, toasted pine nuts, sautéed raisins, freshly cracked black pepper, and extra vegan parmesan if desired.
- Serve hot : and enjoy this vibrant and rich dish!