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    Home » main course

    Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara

    Published: Nov 7, 2020 by Richa 43 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    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
    overhead shot of a vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara Pasta served with roasted tofu

    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!

    close up of a plate of vegan butternut squash pasta carbonara served with baked tofu

    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

    Print Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Butternut Squash Carbonara 

    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. Options for Nutfree Glutenfree Soyfree
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: butternut squash carbonara, vegan carbonara recipe
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 569kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    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

    Nutrition Facts
    Butternut Squash Carbonara 
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 569 Calories from Fat 234
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 26g40%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 33mg11%
    Sodium 570mg25%
    Potassium 913mg26%
    Carbohydrates 65g22%
    Fiber 9g38%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 25g50%
    Vitamin A 15695IU314%
    Vitamin C 34mg41%
    Calcium 238mg24%
    Iron 6mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    overhead shot of ingredients needed for making vegan butternut squash carbonara sauce

    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.

    butternut squash being sauteed in a skillet

    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.

    butternut squash pasta sauce being cooked in a back skillet

    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.

    overhead shot of a skillet with linguine with creamy butternut squash carbonara sauce

    fettuccine being tossed in vegan butternut squash cashew cheese carbonara sauce

    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.

    tofu cubes with condiments for making roasted crispy tofu as pasta topping

    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.

    crispy smokey oven roasted tofu cubes on a baking sheet

    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

    overhead shot of a vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara Pasta served with roasted tofu

     

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    1. Genie

      December 18, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Richa

        December 19, 2021 at 7:59 am

        Yes probably a combination of larger size, thicker baking sheet. Oven not heating as much. Just bake longer

        Reply
    2. Jenny

      November 06, 2021 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 06, 2021 at 6:00 pm

        Yay!! So awesome that you made it so well, they tried it and loved it !!

        Reply
      • Cavell

        November 11, 2021 at 3:47 pm

        5 stars
        My tofu didn’t get crunchy, but this was delicious nevertheless. Definitely going into my winning-recipes file.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          November 12, 2021 at 10:32 am

          oh! did you press, & drain it & preheat the oveN I wonder

          Reply
        • Diana

          February 04, 2022 at 6:11 pm

          5 stars
          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?

          Reply
          • Richa

            February 04, 2022 at 10:06 pm

            Yea should be fine. You will have to reheat with a bit of non dairy milk

            Reply
    3. Leah B

      October 23, 2021 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 23, 2021 at 7:15 pm

        Yay

        Reply
    4. Jen

      June 02, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    5. Elisabeth Biondi

      March 23, 2021 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        March 27, 2021 at 6:20 pm

        great idea

        Reply
    6. Beth

      February 05, 2021 at 7:11 am

      Pepper flakes… Do you mean red pepper flakes? I’m anxious to try this!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 05, 2021 at 4:31 pm

        yes

        Reply
        • Beth

          February 06, 2021 at 5:33 am

          Thanks!

          Reply
    7. Julie

      January 18, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!

      Reply
    8. Chris

      December 07, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      So, are the cashews not soaked ? Just blitzed ?

      Reply
      • Richa

        December 07, 2020 at 9:41 pm

        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

        Reply
    9. Kim Merkley

      November 29, 2020 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      Really enjoyed this recipe!! Super yum!!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 29, 2020 at 3:12 pm

        amazing! thanks for stopping by

        Reply
    10. Christine Kobes

      November 11, 2020 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 13, 2020 at 9:38 am

        Excellent !! thank you so much

        Reply
    11. Ramita

      November 11, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 13, 2020 at 9:35 am

        Excellent !! thank you

        Reply
    12. jeannie

      November 10, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 10, 2020 at 6:50 pm

        Yay

        Reply
    13. Molly

      November 09, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 09, 2020 at 10:44 pm

        Awesome

        Reply
    14. Jessie

      November 09, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 10, 2020 at 9:22 am

        yay!!! thanks

        Reply
    15. Jana

      November 08, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      This was very tasty and pretty easy to make!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 08, 2020 at 7:46 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
    16. mary

      November 08, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      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:)

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 08, 2020 at 4:54 pm

        Yay

        Reply
    17. Melissa Sturgis

      November 07, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 07, 2020 at 7:58 pm

        Yay!! Awesome

        Reply
      • Jackie C

        November 08, 2020 at 9:16 am

        Hi Melissa, I will also have to use dried sage instead of fresh. How much dried sage did you use? Thanks, Jackie.

        Reply
        • Richa

          November 08, 2020 at 12:47 pm

          I use a mix of dried powdered and rubbed as a sub. If using just dried then Use 1/4 tsp.

          Reply
          • Jackie C

            November 08, 2020 at 2:54 pm

            Thanks, Richa!

            Reply
        • Melissa

          November 08, 2020 at 4:51 pm

          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!

          Reply
          • Vegan Richa Support

            November 09, 2020 at 6:16 am

            Thank you

            Reply
          • Jackie C

            November 09, 2020 at 9:48 am

            Thanks, Melissa !

            Reply

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    Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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