Butternut Squash and Tomato Sauce

I recently discovered that it is entirely possible to combine two of my favorite things to cook: fresh pasta sauce and roasted butternut squash. Again I find myself doing my best to be creative with what I have left over from the farmers market last weekend, and with 4 large plump vine ripened tomatoes and a beautiful butternut squash, I’m going to toss them together with a bit of fusili pasta to make a creamy vegan dish.

I began by peeling and chopping the butternut squash into two separate groups. The first group is what’s going into the sauce, and what I hope will cook faster. This group consists of pieces chopped into ¼ inch cubes (or smaller). The other group is what I’d like to add after blending for a few seconds, to give the dish more depth. I left these in larger pieces since I’ll be able to chop them at a later point in time. Right now my first priority is getting them in the oven since they’ll take the longest.

Now to begin the sauce. I always begin cooking my sauces by sautéing the garlic in a little bit of olive oil until aromatic. I feel like this opens up the garlic, ultimately flavoring the olive oil. Plus it gives me an extra minute or two to prepare everything else!

Once the garlic is ready, I’ll add the tomatoes. Because these tomatoes have much more juice than cherry tomatoes, I’m going to add 3 ounces of tomato paste in order to bulk it up.

When the butternut squash is ready, mix it in with the sauce and let it cook for about 20 minutes over low heat. Finally, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. Don’t worry about getting it completely smooth. In fact, you’ll want to try to leave some larger pieces of tomato and squash to keep a thick consistency.

Once you’ve reached the consistency you prefer, add the rest of the butternut squash.

The great thing about this sauce is that it takes time to simmer, providing a great opportunity for you to prepare other parts of your meal while it is cooking. Realistically, it can sit for any amount of time over low heat as long as you’re making sure to stir it every now and then. One downside to cooking it for an extended period of time is that the spices might lose their potency, so be prepared to dash a little of this a few minutes before you’re ready to serve it.

Try cooking it in a casserole with peas, or use a can of vegetable broth and make a soup! The two vegetables combined create a hearty and healthy creaminess that pairs well with almost anything!

1 large butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds), half chopped into ¼ inch pieces, the other half sliced

4 large vine ripened tomatoes, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 ounces of tomato paste

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried basil flakes

1 tablespoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover pieces of squash thoroughly with half of the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for another 20 minutes.

Sauté garlic and remaining olive oil for 1 minute on high heat, or until aromatic.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Once butternut squash is done, add the smaller pieces and sauté for 10 minutes and blend with a hand blender for approx 5-10 seconds depending on consistency you desire.

Add chili flakes and remaining squash.

Let simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.