Fall Vegetarian Pasta

Image: 8 ounce oval ramekin filled with a pasta flavored with pumpkin sauce and various ingredients and herbs.

Description: This delicious fall flavors vegetarian pasta made with vegetarian apple sausage, butternut squash, and pumpkin puree will be a great addition to your fall recipe line-up!

Yield: Makes 3-4 servings (pictured is one serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Cavatelli pasta (mini shells)

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small pieces (½ of a medium butternut squash)

• 2 links of Field Roast Apple Sage vegetarian grain sausage

• 1 cup Pumpkin puree

• 1 cup oat milk (or preferred non-dairy milk)

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 5 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 tablespoon vegetarian chicken bouillon

• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flake

• ½ teaspoon each fresh Thyme, Sage, Oregano, and Parsley, minced

• ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.

Add the chopped butternut squash to the lined baking sheet. Drizzle on olive oil and sprinkle on a bit of salt. Toss by hand to evenly coat the squash with oil.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms of the squash start browning and crisping up. Remove from oven, and set aside.

While the squash are baking, add water and a pinch of salt to a medium sized pot and place on high heat until the water boils.

While the water is coming to a boil, chop the herbs, grain sausage, and butternut squash into small pieces and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, add the pasta to the boiling salted water and place a lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook 1 minute less than the package directions., or until aldente.

While the pasta is cooking, grate the garlic and add it to a 2 cup mixing bowl. Add the vegetarian bouillon, and hot pepper flake to the bowl. Add 1 cup of the boiling pasta water to the bouillon mixture and stir to dissolve. Set aside.

In a large frying pan, add the chopped sausage with a 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and fry on low for a few minutes. Stir, then add the fresh herbs except for parsley, and fry for 1-2 minutes more.

Then add the vegetarian bouillon broth mixture and simmer for 3 minutes. Then, add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine.

Let cook for another minute or so, then add the oat milk, and simmer for one more minute, stirring to combine.

Add in the roasted squash, boiled pasta, and vegan butter. Simmer for a few more minutes to bring all the flavors together.

Plate up your pasta in a serving plate or bowl and add the reserved parsley to the top. Serve and enjoy!