This month my kid got married,
and we got our first real feeling of autumn outside. My
son’s wedding plays a part in today’s post. I decided to prepare the food for
the wedding, and give it a personalized touch for the special occasion. The
bride and groom wanted a vegan menu, with vegan macaroni and cheese being
their favorite. The cashew cheese sauce for the mac and cheese came out so
yummy I have been thinking about it all week.
Then, it dawned on me that this sauce with a couple modifications
could make a great autumn pasta with butternut squash, sage and peas. And,
that’s how my first post of autumn came about! This sauce is easy to make,
packed with plant based protein and healthy fats. The crispy sage garnish
makes a nice garnish and crunchy finish to this comforting, cool weather
dish.
(scroll down for interactive,
printable recipe card, grocery list and more!)
linguine with cashew cheese sauce, sage, butternut squash
& peas
For the cashew cheese sauce:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp. mustard (Dijon )
2 tbsp. sage
For the pasta:
1 1/2 cups peas
3 cups butternut
squash, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 box (8 oz.) gluten-free linguine (or traditional linguine if GF isn’t
your thing)
For the crispy sage:
8-12 leaves of fresh sage
2-3 tbsp. coconut oil
Sea salt
For the sauce, blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix-style
blender or Cuisinart until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Depending on your
blender, this could take several minutes. You want it to be creamy without
any graininess from the nuts. Once it is creamy, add the fresh sage, and just
pulse the sauce in the blender until the sage breaks down into the sauce.
Don’t overland the sage or it may turn the sauce a funky color. You want to
see speckles of fresh sage in the sauce, and be able to taste a hint of sage
in the sauce as well.
Warm the sauce slightly in a sauce pan, cover and set aside, Don’t
cook or overheat the sauce.
To make the crispy sage, heat the coconut oil in a small saute pan
or skillet. When the oil gets nice and hot, but not smoking, add the sage
leaves. They will sizzle and crisp up in several seconds. Remove them from
the oil using a slotted spoon, and let them cool on a paper towel. Sprinkle
with sea salt and set aside for serving time.
In a pot large enough to boil the pasta, cook the pasta per manufacturer’s
instructions. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, also add the
butternut squash, The pasta and the squash will take about the same amount of
time to cook. You can also steam your squash separately if that is more
comfortable. About 1 minute before your pasta and squash are done, add the
peas to the pot. The water will return to boil and the peas will float to the
top. When that happens strain everything together and rinse under cool water
until they become about room temperature.
Add pasta vegetables to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
Divide onto 4 plates, and top with pieces of crispy sage.
linguine with cashew cheese sauce, sage, butternut squash & peas
Ingredients
- For the cashew cheese sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked for at least 2 hours
- 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. sage
- For the pasta:
- 1 1/2 cups peas
- 3 cups butternut squash peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 box gluten-free linguine 8 oz., or traditional linguine if GF isn't your thing
- For the crispy sage:
- 12 leaves of fresh sage
- 3 tbsp. coconut oil
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- For the sauce, blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix-style blender or Cuisinart until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Depending on your blender, this could take several minutes. You want it to be creamy without any graininess from the nuts.
- Once it is creamy, add the fresh sage, and just pulse the sauce in the blender until the sage breaks down into the sauce. Don't overland the sage or it may turn the sauce a funky color. You want to see speckles of fresh sage in the sauce, and be able to taste a hint of sage in the sauce as well.
- Warm the sauce slightly in a sauce pan, cover and set aside, Don't cook or overheat the sauce.
- To make the crispy sage, heat the coconut oil in a small sauté pan or skillet. When the oil gets nice and hot, but not smoking, add the sage leaves. They will sizzle and crisp up in several seconds. Remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon, and let them cool on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside for serving time.
- In a pot large enough to boil the pasta, cook the pasta per manufacturer's instructions. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, also add the butternut squash, The pasta and the squash will take about the same amount of time to cook. You can also steam your squash separately if that is more comfortable.
- About 1 minute before your pasta and squash are done, add the peas to the pot. The water will return to boil and the peas will float to the top. When that happens, strain everything together and rinse under cool water until they become about room temperature.Add pasta vegetables to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Divide onto 4 plates, and top with pieces of crispy sage.
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