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Vegan Saffron & Butternut Squash Pasta with Fried Mint & Pine Nuts

Vegan Saffron & Butternut Squash Pasta with Fried Mint & Pine Nuts

5 from 1 vote
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Author: Seiran Sinjari | Legally Plant Based

Ingredients

  • 1 medium to small butternut squash
  • 2 shallots
  • 2-3 garlic cloves - with peels
  • ½ tsp saffron threads + 3 tbsp hot water
  • 200 ml vegetable stock
  • 200 ml vegan cream for cooking / heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp grated vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
  • ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 500 g dry pasta

For topping:

  • 16-20 fresh mint leaves - rinsed and pat-dried (optional)
  • 50 g raw pine nuts
  • 1 handful golden raisins
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Grated vegan parmesan - optional
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF. 
  • Place saffron threads in a small bowl with the hot water, set to the side.
  • Cut the squash in half lengthwise and deseed using a spoon or ice cream scoop (you can reserve the seeds for later and roast in a pan with some oil and spices). Cut shallots in half too, leaving the peel on. Brush the cut sides of the squash and shallots with olive oil and season with salt and pepper before placing them with cut sides down on an oven tray along with the garlic cloves.
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove garlic gloves after 20-30 minutes if they feel soft and starting to brown.
  • Cook pasta in salted water in accordance with package instructions and reserve 250-300 ml of the cooking water before draining.
  • Remove peels from garlic and shallots, scoop out the flesh from the squash halves (or cut the halves in smaller pieces if the skin is tender since it’s edible too), place everything in a blender, add vegetable stock, cream, vegan parmesan, or nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and saffron threads with the soaking water. Blend until creamy and taste before adding salt & pepper.
  • Place the sauce in a pan and keep warm over low heat until it’s time to serve, adjust texture before serving, please see below.
  • Add 1 tbsp butter to a pan over medium heat, when the butter has melted, add pine nuts, stir frequently until they start to get golden brown, add raisins and stir for 30 seconds then remove everything from the pan and set to the side.
  • Place the pan over medium heat again, cover the bottom of the pan with oil, when the oil is hot, add the mint leaves (using tongs) in small batches and fry just for a few seconds on each side then immediately remove from the pan and place on paper towels. The leaves should get crispy but still stay green, as soon as they turn just a little brown they will turn bitter.
  • Adjust the texture of the sauce by adding some of the pasta water, just a little at a time then mix with the pasta. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
  • Plate the pasta and top with pine nuts and raisins, fried mint leaves, vegan parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

Find more of Seiran’s recipes at @legallyplantbased.
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