This Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara is a dairy-free spin on the traditional Italian Carbonara recipe with a creamy cashew cheese butternut squash carbonara sauce! Serve with crispy roasted smoky bacon-ish tofu.Jump to Recipe
This easy vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara is the perfect fall and winter dinner. It’s a creamy spin on my popular Pumpkin Sage pasta and trust me, it will likely become a staple you will make again and again. Traditional Italian Carbonara Sauce is made from parmesan cheese and egg yolks. This vegan version is just as deliciously rich and creamy (even without egg or dairy), thanks to cashew cream, and even quite cheesy thanks to nutritional yeast, and a hearty thanks to miso paste and fresh sage!
While traditional Carbonara is often topped with bacon or pancetta, I wanted that smoky “chew” on top and went with oven-roasted tofu. Before roasting the tofu, we coat it in a whole bunch of spices to bring on the smoky-sweet notes.
Let me tell you this dish has a perfect balance and blend of cozy fall flavors (butternut squash + sage = fall central)! A simple plant-based pasta dinner or plant-based lunch your whole family will love. Even your kids will give this a big thumbs up!
Let’s make this gorgeous fall meal.
Recipe Card
Butternut Squash Carbonara
Ingredients
For the pasta sauce:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp fresh sage
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 1/4 cup veggie broth or water
- 2 cups butternut squash cubed
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp miso paste optional
- 8 oz fettuccine
For the Tofu:
- 7 oz firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes, and then drained and cubed into 1/4th inch cubes
- 2 tsp oil
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar or maple syrup
Instructions
- Add oil to a skillet over medium heat, add in the onion and garlic and cook until transluent.
- Add in the sage and pepper flakes and mix in. Add in the butternut squash and cook until the butternut squash starts to get golden on some edges. This may not happen if you're using frozen butternut squash.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients under sauce, and cover and mix well. Then cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender to preference.
- Take off heat and let the mixture cool a bit before adding to a blender and blending until smooth.
- Meanwhile make your fettuccine according to instructions on the package and cook until al dente, then combine the sauce to the fettuccine in a bowl, or you can also add it to a skillet to reheat, and cook it a little bit more. This helps thicken the sauce and also melds the flavors together
- Meanwhile, make the smoky tofu by combining the cubed tofu with the oil, soy sauce, smoked paprika, garlic, and maple syrup in a bowl to coat really well.
- Spread out the tofu on a parchent-ined baking sheet. Spread it out so that most of the cubes are not touching each other. Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 c ) then add the baking sheet to the oven when it's heated up. Bake for 10 minutes, then move it around, and then bake for another few minutes, and then keep an eye on the tofu. Take it out once the pieces start to get dry-ish and crunchy. The tofu can burn easily, so keep an eye after 14-15 minute mark. Serve the tofu on top of the butternut squash fettuccine.To store, keep the topping separate from the pasta and refrigerate for upto 3 days.,
Video
Notes
- Nutfree: To make this without cashews, omit the cashews and use a 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds, or while blending the sauce, add in a 1/3 cup of silken tofu. This tofu based sauce will have to be reheated to thicken again
- Glutenfree : use Glutenfree pasta of choice
- Soyfree: use chickpea flour tofu to make the topping with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce or use coconut bacon
- You can actually use canned butternut squash puree, which cuts the prep time down by an hour at least! Use 3/4 cup butternut or pumpkin purée
- fresh sage sub: use a mix of dried and rubbed and not more than 1 tsp. Is using just dried then use 1/4 tsp
Nutrition
Butternut Squash Carbonara Ingredients:
- Like with any Italian-inspired pasta sauce, we start this off with olive oil, onions, and garlic.
- Butternut squash – you can use any other squash or pumpkin puree for this recipe.
- Nutritional yeast – can be omitted, – just add 1 tsp miso for a similar flavor
- Miso Paste – skip or add more nutritional yeast
- Sage – if you’re using dried, use a mix of rubbed and ground. Dried ground sage is pretty potent so add less in the beginning and add more to taste as you go.
- Cashew nuts make this pasta sauce extra creamy and smooth without having to add egg yolks or dairy. For Nutfree, use silken tofu
- My pasta of choice here is fettuccine.
Tips
- You can actually use canned butternut squash puree, which cuts the prep time down by an hour at least!
- Add some coconut bacon For additional texture
- Serve this sprinkled with some chopped sage or grate some almonds on top.
- additional flavors you can add: cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg, or a pinch of cayenne pepper
How to make Butternut Squash Carbonara
Add oil to a skillet over medium heat, add in the onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
Add in the sage and pepper flakes and mix in. Add in the butternut squash and cook until the butternut squash starts to get golden on the edges. This may not happen if you’re using frozen butternut squash.
Add in the rest of the ingredients listed under ‘sauce’, and mix well. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender to preference. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool a bit before adding to a blender and blending until smooth.
Meanwhile, make your fettuccine and cook until al dente, then combine the sauce to the fettuccine in a bowl, or you can also add it to a skillet to reheat, and cook it a little bit more.
Meanwhile, make the tofu by combining the cubed tofu with the oil, soy sauce, smoked paprika, garlic, and maple syrup in a bowl to coat really well.
Spread out the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread it out so that most of the cubes are not touching each other. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the baking sheet to the oven when it’s heated up.
Bake for 10 minutes, then move it around, and then bake for another few minutes, and then keep an eye on the tofu. Take it out once the pieces start to get dry-ish and crunchy. The tofu can burn easily, so keep an eye out after the 14-15 minute mark. Serve the tofu on top of the butternut squash fettuccine.
Can I make this Butternut Squash Carbonara without Cashews?
To make this recipe without cashews, omit them and use a 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds, or while blending the sauce, add in a 1/3 cup of silken tofu. This tofu-based sauce will have to be reheated to thicken again.
MORE VEGAN FALL RECIPES
- Jalapeño Cornbread chili Casserole
- Pumpkin Mac and cheese Bake
- Pumpkin Sage Biscuits
- Pumpkin Sauce Chickpea Pizza
- Pumpkin Cornbread
- Pumpkin Sage pasta with Crisp Sage
Genie
I just made the tofu crumbles to use with the vegan potato soup (which was great, and used ingredients that I always have in my kitchen). I pressed them for 15 minutes (in a tofu press), wiped dry, and cut. My oven was preheated to 425. I cooked for nearly 20 minutes and they were not crispy. My one thought of why not was that the cubes weren’t small enough, although I tried to get them 1/4 inch.
Do you have any other suggestions?
I was thinking a drop of liquid smoke might make them seem more bacon-like.
Richa
Yes probably a combination of larger size, thicker baking sheet. Oven not heating as much. Just bake longer
Jenny
Got my parents to try it and they loved it! They are hard-core meat and dairy fans so thank you for opening their minds to plant-based foods.
Richa
Yay!! So awesome that you made it so well, they tried it and loved it !!
Cavell
My tofu didn’t get crunchy, but this was delicious nevertheless. Definitely going into my winning-recipes file.
Vegan Richa Support
oh! did you press, & drain it & preheat the oveN I wonder
Diana
I’ve made this three times so far and love it. My 8year old likes it too.
The tweak I do is double the tofu part. I dont have miso on hand so I add 1/4C of Full Fat Oat Milk for the sauce.
I do have a question, is the sauce freezer friendly?
Richa
Yea should be fine. You will have to reheat with a bit of non dairy milk
Leah B
We had a butternut squash in our CSA today, so when I saw this recipe, I knew it would be perfect for dinner tonight. It was delicious! Thanks for another great recipe. I will be making this one again.
Richa
Yay
Jen
Wow! Amazing. Was making it for tomorrow’s lunch but once I tasted the sauce I couldn’t resist. The only thing I did different was add broccoli to the pasta and liquid smoke to the tofu. Wish I had made double the tofu. Thank you!
Elisabeth Biondi
I love this recipe. It has now been added to my regular dinner rotation.
I love the tofu crumbles so much I make them separately sometimes and top off a grain or veggie bowl with them!
Vegan Richa Support
great idea
Beth
Pepper flakes… Do you mean red pepper flakes? I’m anxious to try this!
Vegan Richa Support
yes
Beth
Thanks!
Julie
Delicious!
Chris
So, are the cashews not soaked ? Just blitzed ?
Richa
They are fry when they get added to the sauce and they soak while the butternut is cooking. It’s like a quick soak happening at the same time. Then the whole sauce is blended until smooth
Kim Merkley
Really enjoyed this recipe!! Super yum!!!
Vegan Richa Support
amazing! thanks for stopping by
Christine Kobes
I made tonight for dinner. My picky nonvegan son thought it was good. I added peas to finish off the bag. I loved it!! I wish I could share a picture
Vegan Richa Support
Excellent !! thank you so much
Ramita
OH this sauce is SO very good…I didn’t make the tofu yet but the sauce…it’s well worth making just as it is. Richa, you know how to bring strong and subtle flavors together in such a silky way. Thank you!
Vegan Richa Support
Excellent !! thank you
jeannie
I made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent! I didn’t have fresh sage or fettuccini on hand, so I used dried sage and rotini. I doubled the recipe – looking forward to the leftovers!
Richa
Yay
Molly
I made this recipe tonight after seeing it on Richa’s IG because I had most of the ingredients on hand. It was delicious and comforting, perfect for a chilly fall night. I try to eat mostly plant-based, but am not vegan, but love that this seems much healthier (and environmentally friendly) than a traditional carbonara with lots of heavy cream and bacon. I made a few substitutions to avoid going to the store (regular paprika & a dash of liquid smoke instead of smoked paprika; a smaller amount of dried thyme instead of fresh sage; Trader Joe’s brown rice fusilli instead of fettuccine). Will definitely make this again!
Richa
Awesome
Jessie
I just found your site a few months ago, and your recipes continue to impress me and my family. I never thought vegan food could be so satisfying or taste so good!! This was a hit tonight!
Vegan Richa Support
yay!!! thanks
Jana
This was very tasty and pretty easy to make!
Richa
Thanks!
mary
Ohhh – I thought I wasn’t hungry until I read this recipe! It looks SO good. I just pick up a butternut squash today so I”m looking forward to trying this:)
Richa
Yay
Melissa Sturgis
The Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara was EXCELLENT!!! What fabulous flavor and perfect textures. I had to use dried sage since I am in Alaska and fresh herbs are hard to come by. It was sooooo good! THANK YOU!
Richa
Yay!! Awesome
Jackie C
Hi Melissa, I will also have to use dried sage instead of fresh. How much dried sage did you use? Thanks, Jackie.
Richa
I use a mix of dried powdered and rubbed as a sub. If using just dried then Use 1/4 tsp.
Jackie C
Thanks, Richa!
Melissa
I used the same amount of dried as required for fresh and it was really good. I know you’re supposed to use less dried but I find it not as flavorful. It turned out great!
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you
Jackie C
Thanks, Melissa !