Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees °F/204°C.

Step 2

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add your Chickapea pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove from water, and set aside until ready to use.

Step 3

You’ll need about three baking sheets for this, or just split the sheets between the ingredients.Spread the butternut squash, tomatoes, and mushrooms separately on a baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves and the onions - I love to add about 4 cloves and a few pieces of onions to the butternut squash section (that’s going into the sauce), and distribute the rest over the tomatoes and mushrooms. Drizzle the olive oil over it all, and the salt and pepper and mix together with your hands or a wooden spoon to toss it with the veggies evenly.

Step 4

Bake for 35 minutes in the oven until the butternut squash is completely cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. I love to now remove the peel from the garlic cloves and mash the garlic (with your fingers or a knife) for the tomatoes, mushrooms and extra onions section so it goes into the pasta mashed.

Step 5

To make the sauce: mix the vegetable broth, almond milk, ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and everything on the butternut squash baking sheet (with its portion of garlic and onions) to your blender. I use a Vitamix for this. Blend together until creamy and smooth.

Step 6

In a greased casserole dish, add the Chickapea pasta, the mushrooms, the tomatoes, the kale, the ½ cup cheese along with the extra mashed garlic and onions. Pour the sauce over the pasta mix, and then stir to combine.

Step 7

Top with the rest of the cheese, and the breadcrumb topping. Bake for 15 minutes to set the pasta.Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Dig in and enjoy!