I have partnered with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! to bring you an awesome plant-based fall dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights, made with their new It’s Vegan buttery spread!
I absolutely cannot believe that fall has snuck up on us. And I don’t mean just the kids heading back to school, but the weather is really changing too. It’s cooling down, the trees are starting to change colors and it’s getting darker much earlier. Plus, I am in that zone where school has really gotten going and the whole homework and afterschool activity cycle is in full swing. Which means I am spending quite a lot of time driving and if I want to get the kids to bed at a decent time (and keep my sanity), that does not leave a ton of time for making dinner. That’s why I am all about family-friendly, hearty, easy and fast dinners right now! We are also trying harder than ever to make sure that we are eating more plant-based meals.
That’s where this Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta comes in!
I teamed up with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! to create the wonderful caramelized onions in this autumnal vegan pasta dish using their new It’s Vegan buttery spread. The delicious, buttery onions mixed with pasta water form a wonderfully creamy sauce. You’ll feel like you are indulging in a decadent dish, when it’s actually just the opposite! Then, just add pieces of golden roasted butternut squash and fresh sage leaves and you have a delicious base for your meal that is as good for you as it is delicious. I like to serve this with a big green salad like this one or this one. The best part: this entire meal, top to bottom, takes about 30 minutes to get on the table. Not bad for a working mom that drives about a zillion carpools, not bad….
If you are not vegan or dairy intolerant, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! has also come out with It’s Organic which would also work well in this recipe.
To find more from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, visit their website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter accounts (insert links).
This post was brought to you by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create content like this for HeatherChristo.com!
- Caramelized Onions:
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! It’s Vegan
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- kosher salt
- Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and chopped into about 1-2” pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt
- 1 pound Gluten Free Pasta
- 1 handful fresh sage leaves
- 1/ 3 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- For the Caramelized Onions: In a heavy pan or skillet, over medium heat, add the It’s Vegan and the onions and sprinkle with kosher salt. Stir them well while they cook until softer and browned, about 10 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and cook over medium low until very soft and melted down- about 20 more minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and the vinegar and cook for another few minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and then set aside.
- For the Roasted Butternut Squash: When you have 20 more minutes to go on the caramelized onions add the squash, oil and salt to a sheet pan and toss together. Roast the squash for 15-20 minutes until tender and browned on the edges. Set aside.
- For the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and when you have about 10 minutes left on the onions and the squash, add the pasta and cook until al dente, a minute or two shy of the manufacturer’s cooking time. Reserve a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water and then add to the pan with the hot caramelized onions. Add pasta water a little at a time to get it creamy and build a sauce. Add the fresh sage leaves (the heat will wilt them) and the walnuts (if using) and the butternut squash and gently toss everything together. Season to taste with kosher salt and serve hot.
Print Recipe
This looks delicious, is that toasted walnuts I see in the pics? I don’t see them listed in the recipe.
Ok…I’m officially drooling.
Hi!
I made this recipe tonight and would suggest using less sugar in the onions. It made the pasta way too sweet, almost inedible. My four year old refused to eat it after trying a few bites and I had to agree with her.
Megan- my sincere apologies. It should be 2 teaspoons. You are completely right and I am so sorry that I ruined a batch of pasta for you with a typo. I changed my measurements and really feel terrible.
Hi, I wish I’d read the comments first. The recipe still says 2 tablespoons of sugar and now it’s too late. The meal is made and we are about to eat it… 🙁 Please could you change the measurements on the recipe for the next person who cooks this!
oh Miriam- i’m so sorry. yes, I have double checked that it is changed.
This is delicious! Because we are on a whole food, plant-based diet, I substituted yellow miso (and no salt) for the butter-like product, veggie broth for the white wine, agave syrup for the sugar, used soba noodles, dry roasted the squash. The fresh sage and walnuts are delicious additions.