Cashews. Lemons. Butternut Squash.
When they partner, they make one of the tastiest sauces. Ever.
When they partner, they make one of the tastiest sauces. Ever.
Butternut Squash Sauce
makes about 1.5 cups sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh butternut squash*, peeled and cut into small cubes or chunks OR 1 cup canned butternut squash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Himalayan or Celtic salt and pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 tbsp arrowroot powder or organic cornstarch
6 tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4-3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2-1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic sea salt (to taste)
pinch cayenne (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a roasting pan or casserole dish with parchment paper. Mix chopped squash with EVOO. Roast for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until tender. If you are using canned you will omit this step. I highly recommend using fresh squash and roasting it as the flavor will be richer.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the sauce base:
In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low-medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together milk and arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) until clumps are gone. Whisk the mixture into the heated oil. Whisk in remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper) and continue to whisk over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat.
In a blender, blend the sauce with 1 cup of roasted squash (or if using canned, use 1 cup). Vent the lid slightly to allow some of the heat to escape while you are blending or you will clean sauce off your ceiling!
Use the sauce on cooked pasta, raw veggie noodles --such as zucchini, carrot or sweet potato noodles-- or use it on vegan nachos, steamed veggies or as a sandwich spread.
My favorite flavor variation: When blending, add:
1 teaspoon of garam masala spice
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric (or you can blend a small knob of fresh)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger root, chopped
Notes:
*You can use any sweet and thick fleshed winter squash such as Delicata, Acorn or Blue Hubbard or even pumpkin. The flavor will vary depending on the squash but will still be delicious. Three pounds of squash yields about 5 cups cooked squash, depending on the squash.
You can double the sauce ingredients and have extra because you WILL want extra. The sauce freezes well.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh butternut squash*, peeled and cut into small cubes or chunks OR 1 cup canned butternut squash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Himalayan or Celtic salt and pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 tbsp arrowroot powder or organic cornstarch
6 tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4-3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2-1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic sea salt (to taste)
pinch cayenne (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a roasting pan or casserole dish with parchment paper. Mix chopped squash with EVOO. Roast for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until tender. If you are using canned you will omit this step. I highly recommend using fresh squash and roasting it as the flavor will be richer.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the sauce base:
In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low-medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together milk and arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) until clumps are gone. Whisk the mixture into the heated oil. Whisk in remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper) and continue to whisk over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat.
In a blender, blend the sauce with 1 cup of roasted squash (or if using canned, use 1 cup). Vent the lid slightly to allow some of the heat to escape while you are blending or you will clean sauce off your ceiling!
Use the sauce on cooked pasta, raw veggie noodles --such as zucchini, carrot or sweet potato noodles-- or use it on vegan nachos, steamed veggies or as a sandwich spread.
My favorite flavor variation: When blending, add:
1 teaspoon of garam masala spice
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric (or you can blend a small knob of fresh)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger root, chopped
Notes:
*You can use any sweet and thick fleshed winter squash such as Delicata, Acorn or Blue Hubbard or even pumpkin. The flavor will vary depending on the squash but will still be delicious. Three pounds of squash yields about 5 cups cooked squash, depending on the squash.
You can double the sauce ingredients and have extra because you WILL want extra. The sauce freezes well.