Butternut Cream Cheese Chickpea Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash (Small, about 7–8 inches long; leave unpeeled; use the seeds and flesh, reserving the cubed pieces for serving.)
• 1 garlic bulb (Cut the top off to expose the cloves; roast, then squeeze the cloves from their skins for the sauce.)
• 150 g silken tofu (For the butternut squash sauce.)
• 0.5 tbsp white miso paste (For the butternut squash sauce; source spelling corrected from “whife.”)
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (For the butternut squash sauce.)
• 200 g dried pasta (Orecchiette used by the author.)
• 240 g cooked chickpeas (Canned; drained and rinsed.)
• 100 g cherry tomatoes (On the vine if possible; roast with a little olive oil and sea salt.)
• 200 g extra-firm tofu (For the tofu cream cheese; squeeze in kitchen paper to remove excess water.)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 2 garlic cloves (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 1 tsp onion powder (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 1.5 tbsp white miso paste (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 3.5 tbsp soy milk (Source gives 3–4 tbsp, depending on consistency and blender power; use more if needed to help it blend. Quantity records the midpoint of the stated range.)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (For the tofu cream cheese.)
• 20 g cashews (Soak in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain before blending.)
• sea salt (A pinch for the tofu cream cheese; the roasting method also calls for a generous sprinkle and tomatoes are sprinkled with sea salt, amounts not specified.)
• black pepper (For the tofu cream cheese and freshly cracked over the finished dish; amount to taste, described as lots.)
• olive oil (Drizzle on the roasting tray and over the squash and garlic; drizzle a little over the tomatoes. Amount not specified.)
• boiling water (Just enough to cover the cashews for soaking; amount not specified.)
• pasta cooking water (Reserve a small mug (about 150 ml) of salty pasta water for the sauce; source gives this approximate volume in the method.)
• balsamic vinegar (Thick; drizzle over the finished bowls. Amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cover the cashews with boiling water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Cut the butternut squash in half without peeling it. Cut one half in half again widthwise, then cut the top portion (not the bulbous seed section) into 1–2 cm cubes. Leave the larger squash pieces intact.

3. 3

   Slice the top off the garlic bulb so the cloves are exposed.

4. 4

   Drizzle olive oil over a lined or non-stick baking tray. Arrange the large squash pieces cut-side down, scatter the cubes around them, and place the garlic bulb cut-side down. Leave the squash seeds in place.

5. 5

   Carefully pierce the larger squash pieces a few times with a sharp paring knife, especially the thicker half, to help them cook faster.

6. 6

   Drizzle more olive oil over the squash and garlic, sprinkle generously with salt, and toss to coat. Return the squash and garlic to their cut-side-down positions.

7. 7

   Roast for 27–28 minutes, checking at 20 minutes. A little char on the smaller squash cubes is fine, but do not let them burn.

8. 8

   When the squash is nearly done, add the cherry tomatoes to the tray. Drizzle them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

9. 9

   Check the squash halves with a sharp knife. If the knife enters without much effort, roast for another 3–4 minutes if needed. Remove the tray from the oven when ready and set it aside to cool.

10. 10

    While the squash roasts, squeeze the extra-firm tofu in kitchen paper to draw out excess water. Tear it into chunks and put it in a blender with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic cloves, white miso, nutritional yeast, drained cashews, soy milk, a pinch of sea salt, and black pepper. The creator's comment lists onion powder twice; use the listed amount once.

11. 11

    Blend until thick and paste-like, pausing to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed. Add more soy milk if the blender struggles; the creator also notes that gently shaking the blender while it runs can help. Season to taste, then scrape the tofu cream cheese into a bowl with a rubber spatula.

12. 12

    Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water for one minute less than the package directs. Before draining, reserve a small mug of pasta water, about 150 ml, then drain the pasta.

13. 13

    Turn the roasted squash pieces over. Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the flesh from the skin and seeds, and put the flesh in the blender, leaving out the crispy cubes. The skin may be eaten separately or chopped to top the finished dish.

14. 14

    Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the blender. Add the silken tofu, white miso, lemon juice, and reserved salty pasta water.

15. 15

    Blend the squash mixture until very smooth.

16. 16

    Combine the blended sauce, drained pasta, and drained chickpeas in one pot.

17. 17

    Serve in bowls topped with a large dollop of tofu cream cheese, roasted tomatoes, the crispy squash cubes, a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

The post provides a complete recipe across the caption and creator's comments. It does not specify the number of servings, the amount of oil or salt for roasting, or an exact amount of balsamic vinegar. The title and post refer to the squash cream cheese as chickpea pasta; the creator reports 6.5–8.5 mg iron, 33 g protein, and 12 g fibre per serving.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegan
• plant-based
• dairy-free
• high-protein
• high-fibre
• roasted