This roasted butternut squash and red pepper pasta is a comforting dish that combines the subtle sweetness of roasted butternut squash and peppers with aromatic herbs in a creamy sauce. This recipe is easy to make, nutritious and perfect for cozy dinners!
For more cozy recipes with red peppers, check out our quick and easy roasted eggplant and red pepper bake recipe and vegetable lasagna recipe!
We have been embracing this season with our almond flour pumpkin pancakes, roasted vegetable risotto and caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe, nourishing food filled with flavor and oozing with comfort!
This is roasted pepper and squash pasta is another one to add to your collection of recipes! This pasta dish combines fresh vegetables, herbs and nuts in a creamy and flavorful butternut squash and red pepper sauce.
Like our roasted butternut squash soup, this recipe uses an air fryer to roast the vegetables with garlic and seasoning to enhance the flavor of the overall dish! It really makes a difference to the taste!
This delightful pasta is perfect for weeknight dinners, cozy fall or winter evenings or when you are looking for something wholesome and delicious during the holiday season.
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Why this Recipe Works
- Healthy and wholesome – packed with nutrient-rich ingredients including butternut squash, bell peppers and cashew nuts. Butternut squash are a source of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, magnesium and potassium. Bell peppers are also a source of vitamin C and other antioxidants.
- Creaminess – this recipe uses cashew nuts in the sauce for creaminess, a healthier alternative to double cream or whole milk. Cashew nuts are a good source of nutrients including protein and help you feel full for longer for a satisfying meal.
- Easy to make – this dish comes together quickly and roasting the vegetables in an air fryer simplifies the process.
- Vegan-friendly – this creamy butternut squash pasta recipe is vegan-friendly (if using dairy-free cheese) and can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butternut squash: The star of the show. Peeled, rinsed and diced for easy roasting.
- Red bell pepper: Diced and roasted to enhance the flavor.
- Garlic cloves: For flavor, added to the roasted vegetables and sauce base. Roasted garlic also enhances the flavor of this dish.
- Red chilies: For spice
- Tomatoes: Adds richness and subtle sweetness to the sauce base. You can also use plum/cherry or Roma tomatoes.
- Cashew nuts: Provides creaminess to the sauce when blended.
- Seasoning: Including salt and pepper.
- Herbs: Including fresh basil and dried thyme and oregano. These herbs add earthy, aromatic layers that bring a range of wonderful flavors to this dish.
- Pasta: Fusilli or rotini pasta works well in this recipe but you can use your favorite variety of pasta including spaghetti.
- Olive oil: You can use either extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil as desired.
See recipe card for a full quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetables: Add more vegetables including other coloured roasted peppers including yellow and orange peppers as well as zucchini/courgettes and sweet potatoes. You can also add sautéed spinach for a roasted squash and spinach pasta.
- Pasta: This sauce works with many types of pasta. For a low-carb option, use zucchini noodles (like our vegetable zucchini stir fry).
- Gluten-free: This roasted red pepper and squash pasta sauce is naturally gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta to make this dish completely gluten-free friendly.
- Spice level: For a milder dish, remove the seeds in the chillies and use ½ chilli. For more spice, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes/chilli flakes when adding herbs to the pan.
- Nutritional yeast: switch dairy-free cheese with nutritional yeast flakes if preferred.
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How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Pasta
Step 1: Roast the butternut squash and bell pepper. Toss peeled and cubed butternut squash, diced red bell pepper, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and black pepper together until well coated. Roast in a preheated air fryer at 200°C (390°F) for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes, or in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and caramelized.
Step 2: Sauté garlic and red chillies. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red chilies and cook for 30-40 seconds.
Step 3: Cook onions for 2 minutes, until slightly translucent, stirring intermittently. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes into the pan and cook for another minute, stirring intermittently.
Step 5: Add cashew nuts and herbs. Stir in the cashew nuts and, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 6: Stir in the fresh basil and cook the sauce base for another 2 minutes. Pour water into the pan and stir to help soak up all the flavorful bits from the sides of the pan.
Step 7: Blend. Transfer sauce mixture into a blender, add the roasted butternut squash and pepper and blend until smooth.
Step 8: Mix and serve. Mix the blended sauce with the cooked pasta, ensuring the pasta is coated with the creamy sauce. Serve with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.
Expert Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Pasta
- Roast the vegetables: Roasting the butternut squash and red bell peppers in the air fryer intensifies and enhances the flavor of the sauce. If preferred you can use a baking sheet/parchment paper to line the tray or sheet pan. When roasting the vegetables I prefer to add them direct to the air fryer tray.
- Add water straight into to the pan: Adding water to the pan (rather than straight into the blender), helps to bring out all of the flavor from the fan. When adding water, make sure to scrape up all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan before transferring into the blender. For a thinner sauce, add a little more water if desired.
- High-speed blender: use a high-speed blender (or food processor which blends soups and sauces) to blend into a creamy sauce.
- Cooking time: depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the roasting/cooking time. Keep an eye on the vegetables and regularly mix in the tray to evenly roast them.
How to Serve
Serve this butternut squash pasta fresh with sides including purple sweet potato bruschetta and sourdough garlic bread slices.
Enjoy with our beet and pomegranate salad, roasted pumpkin soup, air fryer sweet potato wedges and fresh homemade coleslaw for a wholesome meal.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can add more vegetables including roasted zucchini/courgettes, yellow or orange bell peppers, carrots and peas.
You can add more protein and extra crunch by garnishing with a mixture of seeds including pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
Suggested Sides with Butternut Squash Pasta
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Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables:
- 1 butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves whole
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
For the sauce base:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 9 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 red chilies sliced
- 1 brown/yellow onion chopped
- 2 tomatoes chopped (or 1 cup chopped)
- ½ cup cashew nuts unsalted and unroasted
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 cups water
For the pasta:
- 300 g pasta (including fusilli, rotini pasta or spaghetti)
- cheddar cheese (grated/shredded) (dairy-free to make this vegan)
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Toss peeled and cubed butternut squash, diced red bell pepper, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper. Roast in a preheated air fryer at 200°C (390°F) for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes, or in an oven at 200°C (390°F) for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and caramelized.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add garlic and red chilies, and cook for 30-40 seconds.
- Add onions and cook for 2 minutes until translucent, stirring intermittently.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Add tomatoes and cook for another minute, stirring intermittently.
- Stir in cashew nuts, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add fresh basil and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Pour water into the pan and stir to soak up all the flavors.
- Transfer to a blender with the roasted butternut squash and pepper, and blend until smooth.
- Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese and fresh basil.
Notes
- Roast the vegetables: Roasting the butternut squash and red bell peppers in the air fryer intensifies and enhances the flavor of the sauce. If preferred you can use a baking sheet/parchment paper to line the tray or sheet pan. When roasting the vegetables we prefer to add them direct to the air fryer tray.
- Add water straight into to the pan: Adding water to the pan (rather than straight into the blender), helps to bring out all of the flavor from the fan. When adding water, make sure to scrape up all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan before transferring into the blender. For a thinner sauce, add a little more water if desired.
- High-speed blender: use a high-speed blender to blend into a creamy sauce.
- Cooking time: depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the roasting/cooking time. Keep an eye on the vegetables and regularly mix in the tray to evenly roast them.
Yanak
This tasted really great, thank you for sharing
Sonia
Thank you Yanak!