Roasted butternut squash is blended into a smooth sauce and stirred through wholegrain macaroni with garlic and fresh herbs. With its gentle sweetness and savoury flavours, this easy dish is perfect for a simple lunch or relaxed supper any day of the week.
Adjust servings before adding ingredients to your shopping list. Cooking times are a guide and may need to be adjusted if you change the serving size.
4
servings
1mediumbutternut squash, halved lengthways and deseeded
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
Freshly ground black pepper
100gblanched hazelnuts
300gwholegrain macaroni, dry
The sauce
2tbsplemon juice
15gnutritional yeast flakes
1clovegarlic, finely chopped, grated or crushed
1tspmustard powder
1good pinchgrated nutmeg
300mlunsweetened oat drink
1tbspolive oil
To serve
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
1handfulsage, leaves plucked and left whole
Method
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Prepare the butternut squash. Using a sharp knife, score the flesh of the butternut squash halves in a criss-cross pattern. Brush with 1 tbsp oil and season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
Roast the butternut squashOven: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180° Fan / Gas 5. Line a roasting tin with baking parchment.Place cut-side down in the roasting tin and roast for 50-60 minutes until completely tender.Air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Place the butternut squash halves cut-side down in the basket and cook for 35–45 minutes, until completely tender.Meanwhile prepare the remaining ingredients.
Roast the hazelnutsOven: place on a baking tray and add to the oven on a separate shelf to the butternut squash. Roast for 7 minutes.Air fryer: Preheat to 160°. Place the hazelnuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket for 5–6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Remove immediately and transfer to a bowl to cool completely.Transfer the toasted hazelnuts immediately to a bowl to cool and prevent them from overcooking. Once cool, roughly chop.
Whilst the roasted butternut squash is cooling, cook the pasta as per the manufacturer's instructions.
Butternut squash sauceOnce the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor, discarding the skin.
Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, mustard powder, nutmeg, oat drink and the olive oil, then blend until smooth.
You can switch to unsweetened soya or almond drink or a low fat dairy milk. Although often perceived as a healthy, coconut alternatives are high in saturated fat and are not recommended.
Transfer the sauce to a saucepan on a low to medium heat, and warm through stirring regularly. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
Final touchesHeat the remaining tablespoon oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes until crisp, then transfer to kitchen paper.
Stir the cooked pasta through the butternut squash sauce until evenly coated and warmed through.
To serve. Divide the pasta between four bowls. Scatter over the crispy sage leaves and roasted hazelnuts before serving
SMART notes & tips
Don't have butternut squash? Try sweet potato and carrots, or red peppers and parsnips instead.
Fresh thyme or rosemary also work well if you don't have sage.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrient
Amount
% RI
Energy
2,511 kJ / 600 kcal
30%
Total Fat
25.0 g
36%
Saturated Fat
2.2 g
11%
Sugars
10.0 g
11%
Fibre
15.0 g
50%
Protein
20.0 g
40%
Salt
0.1 g
2%
%RI: Recommended Intake (RI) values are based on the daily needs of an average adult consuming 8400kJ/2000kcal. Fibre recommendations are based on the UK guideline intake of 30g fibre per day.
1mediumbutternut squash, halved lengthways and deseeded
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
Freshly ground black pepper
100gblanched hazelnuts
300gwholegrain macaroni, dry
The sauce
2tbsplemon juice
15gnutritional yeast flakes
1clovegarlic, finely chopped, grated or crushed
1tspmustard powder
1good pinchgrated nutmeg
300mlunsweetened oat drink
1tbspolive oil
To serve
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
1handfulsage, leaves plucked and left whole
1mediumbutternut squash, halved lengthways and deseeded
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1
Prepare the butternut squash. Using a sharp knife, score the flesh of the butternut squash halves in a criss-cross pattern. Brush with 1 tbsp oil and season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
2
Roast the butternut squashOven: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180° Fan / Gas 5. Line a roasting tin with baking parchment.Place cut-side down in the roasting tin and roast for 50-60 minutes until completely tender.Air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Place the butternut squash halves cut-side down in the basket and cook for 35–45 minutes, until completely tender.Meanwhile prepare the remaining ingredients.
100gblanched hazelnuts
3
Roast the hazelnutsOven: place on a baking tray and add to the oven on a separate shelf to the butternut squash. Roast for 7 minutes.Air fryer: Preheat to 160°. Place the hazelnuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket for 5–6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Remove immediately and transfer to a bowl to cool completely.Transfer the toasted hazelnuts immediately to a bowl to cool and prevent them from overcooking. Once cool, roughly chop.
300gwholegrain macaroni, dry
4
Whilst the roasted butternut squash is cooling, cook the pasta as per the manufacturer's instructions.
5
Butternut squash sauceOnce the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor, discarding the skin.
2tbsplemon juice
15gnutritional yeast flakes
1clovegarlic, finely chopped, grated or crushed
1tspmustard powder
1good pinchgrated nutmeg
300mlunsweetened oat drink
1tbspolive oil
6
Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, mustard powder, nutmeg, oat drink and the olive oil, then blend until smooth.
You can switch to unsweetened soya or almond drink or a low fat dairy milk. Although often perceived as a healthy, coconut alternatives are high in saturated fat and are not recommended.
Freshly ground black pepper
7
Transfer the sauce to a saucepan on a low to medium heat, and warm through stirring regularly. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
1tbspvegetable (rapeseed) oil
1handfulsage, leaves plucked and left whole
8
Final touchesHeat the remaining tablespoon oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes until crisp, then transfer to kitchen paper.
9
Stir the cooked pasta through the butternut squash sauce until evenly coated and warmed through.
10
To serve. Divide the pasta between four bowls. Scatter over the crispy sage leaves and roasted hazelnuts before serving
