Butternut Vegan “Mac 'n Cheese”
 
 
Author:
Recipe type: Side dish
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit extra for sautéing the sausage
  • 1 Meyer lemon, juiced
  • 1 16-ounce pkg. Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Sausage
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • Organic vegetable stock for thinning the sauce
  • 1 lb. radiatore
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts, crumbled
Instructions
  1. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Wrap each squash half in aluminum foil and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes. Take the squash out and test to make sure that it is completely done. If the flesh isn't completely cooked, rewrap it in the aluminum foil and put it back in for another 10 minutes or so. When fully cooked, take the squash halves out, unwrap them and let cool about 10-15 minutes.
  2. While the squash is cooling, fill a large pasta pot with water (about 6 quarts), cover it and put it on to boil. Remove the casings from the sausage, quarter lengthwise, and then cut or crumble into small pieces. Sauté the sausage pieces in a little olive oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up all the sausage bits. Cook over low heat for a minute or two until the wine is reduced by half. Cover and set aside.
  3. By now, your squash should be cool. Scrape the squash flesh into the bowl of a food processor, leaving the squash skin behind. Add olive oil and the Meyer lemon juice and buzz until smooth. Add a little vegetable stock if you think it needs a bit more thinning.
  4. When the water in the pasta pot is boiling, add 1-2 tablespoons of salt, and then your radiatore. Cook until al dente about 5-6 minutes, or according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water, and then drain the pasta in a colander.
  5. While your pasta is cooking, gently toast your walnuts in a small skillet over low heat until fragrant. Let cool slightly and break into small pieces.
  6. Put your sausage back on over low heat and add your butternut squash sauce. Let it cook 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency and decide if you need to add a bit of pasta water to thin it. Add the cooked radiator to your sauce and toss. Since it’s impossible to know exactly how much squash puree you started with (since every squash is slightly different in size and I don’t know how much cooked squash you scraped out), your consistency may be great or you may want to thin it with a little more pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little sea salt and a lot of freshly ground pepper.
  7. Serve in warmed pasta bowls. If you eat dairy and want to add the blue cheese, crumble a bit on top of each bowl and then add the toasted walnuts. But if you’re a vegan, forget about the cheese and just add the toasted walnuts. Either way, serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
© Nancy Olah, 2013. All rights reserved.
Recipe by Fool a Carnivore at https://foolacarnivore.com/butternut-vegan-mac-n-cheese/