Butternut Squash Pasta

I'd been wondering what to do with the cute little bag of pre-cubed butternut squash I'd bought on a whim.  The clock was winding down on it, and I needed to make a decision.  I saw an awesome recipe on ABC's The Chew earlier in the week, and everything fell into place.  Kinda.  Their recipe wasn't vegan.

Challenge accepted.

Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta

1 bag cubed butternut squash (mine came from Wal-Mart)
1/3 cup white onion, diced
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread
1/2 cup vegan parmesan
1/4 cup peanuts
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss butternut squash cubes with 4 tablespoons of olive oil in large mixing bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cook squash cubes for ~20 minutes.  Keep an eye on it.  You should be able to easily pierce with a fork.

    

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook for one minute less than package instructions.  Reserve a bit of the pasta water.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Once heated, add in the diced onion, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper and a small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Once the onions are soft, add the butternut squash, the peanuts, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add the Earth Balance and swirl in the pan.  Once the butter has melted and the liquid becomes slightly creamy, add the pasta.

Bread crumb topping:

Mix the parsley flakes, panko bread crumbs, and vegan parmesan in a medium-sized bowl.

Plate pasta, add bread crumb topping, and serve!