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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with Roasted Butternut Squash

    Published: Sep 9, 2015 · by Joanne · Updated: Jan 10, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with Roasted Butternut Squash

    My husband and I went to Italy on our honeymoon earlier this summer and it is quite probable that after eating pasta for 12 days straight, I will never look at it the same way again. I'm sure you're imagining that I got totally tired of it and never wanted to look at another carb again when I got home, but it actually had the opposite effect! All of the pasta dishes I ate in Italy were made with fresh noodles, simple sauces, clean flavors, and lots of veggies. Even the cream sauces somehow tasted light. I'm really not sure how they did it, but it definitely inspired me to try to infuse some of that Italian spirit into my pasta dishes when I got back home.

    Summer is winding down and we are definitely entering a season where comfort food is king, but that doesn't mean that all vegetable consumption has to come to a screeching halt! Enter this vegetarian butternut squash pasta carbonara, which has a very comfort food feel, but also packs a lot of veggie punch in every bite.

    Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with Roasted Butternut Squash

    Pasta carbonara is a traditional Roman dish, usually consisting of some sort of noodle (fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti) mixed with an egg sauce, bacon, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Here we've substituted vegetarian bacon for pork bacon, using it to add smoky umami flavor to the dish. The egg sauce is made by mixing raw eggs with parmesan cheese, and tossing the mixture with the just-drained hot pasta. The egg mixture starts to cook when it hits the hot pasta, but by constantly stirring as you mix it in, it forms a creamy sauce instead of becoming scrambled eggs in your pasta pot. I've used orecchiette here because I like how they scoop up the sauce, but really any pasta shape will do.

    Butternut squash roasts away in the oven while this all cooks and it gets tossed in to the final pasta dish, adding a hint of seasonal sweetness and a lot of vitamin A. I can't say that this is exactly how real deal Italians would make this dish, but I definitely have a feeling that they would approve.

    Vegetarian Butternut Squash Carbonara

    Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with Roasted Butternut Squash

    With roasted butternut squash, this meatless version of Pasta Carbonara is perfect for fall.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara, Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with Roasted Butternut Squash, vegetarian pasta recipe
    Servings: 4 -6 servings
    Calories: 951kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • 1 pound orecchiette pasta
    • 6 ounces vegetarian bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces
    • 4 garlic cloves minced
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 450ºF.
    • Toss the butternut squash cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
    • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions or desired tenderness. Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
    • While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the vegetarian bacon to the pan and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until crispy, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and parmesan cheese. Slowly add the egg mixture to the hot pasta, stirring constantly so that the eggs will cook but not scramble. Add in cooking water as needed to reach a sauce of desired consistency. Stir in the butternut squash cubes and the bacon-garlic mixture. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve warm.

    Notes

    I used Hickory & Sage Benevolent Bacon for this.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 951kcalCarbohydrates: 115gProtein: 37gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 1082mgPotassium: 1058mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 20385IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 439mgIron: 5mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « 50+ Ideas for Healthy Bento Lunches
    This Week's Meatless Meal Plan | 09.14.15 »

    Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes butternut squash, fall, main dishes, pasta

    About Joanne

    Joanne Bruno is the blogger, recipe developer, and photographer behind the mostly ridiculous and always delicious vegetarian food blog Eats Well With Others. She likes her vegetables with a side of cupcakes and takes a highly hyperbolic approach to most things in life.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori @ RecipeGirl says

      September 09, 2015 at 5:39 pm

      This looks like a fabulous fall dinner! I'm adding it to my must-try soon list!

      Reply
      • Joanne Bruno says

        September 27, 2015 at 7:27 pm

        Thanks Lori! It definitely gets the fall spirit going.

        Reply
    2. Laura @ Semi-Vegetarian.com says

      September 10, 2015 at 2:25 pm

      This looks delicious! I love butternut squash in pasta recipes. A friend of mine has been living in Italy for about a year and a half and said she's yet to tire of the pizza and pasta!

      Reply
      • Joanne Bruno says

        September 27, 2015 at 7:28 pm

        I really think I could have stayed in Italy forever and never tired of the food. Hope you enjoy the pasta if you try it!

        Reply
    3. Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says

      September 11, 2015 at 2:32 am

      This sounds absolutely delicious! Butternut squash or (butternut pumpkin) is my favourite pumpkin and I can already imagine its nutty sweetness when roasted.

      Reply
      • Joanne Bruno says

        September 27, 2015 at 7:29 pm

        Totally agreed. Roasted butternut squash is nature's candy!

        Reply
    4. Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says

      October 02, 2015 at 6:18 pm

      Wow - this looks delicious!!!!

      Reply
    5. Victoria says

      October 12, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      This dish sounds delicious 🙂 however, I'd have to substitute the parmesan cheese as it isn't vegetarian.

      Reply
      • Morgan says

        February 14, 2017 at 11:07 pm

        it is vegetarian.. just not vegan 🙂

        Reply
    6. Connie says

      March 21, 2017 at 10:15 am

      Parmesan isn't vegetarian as it contains animal rennet. Substitutes are available 🙂

      Reply
      • Alissa says

        March 22, 2017 at 9:45 am

        Not all Parmesan contains animal rennet. You just have to check the brand/ingredients: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/blog/parmesan-cheese-veg-or-not

        Reply
    7. amy says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:32 pm

      I made this tonight and enjoyed it. I added thyme and substituted tofurkey brand italian sausage, sliced and sauteed for the veggie bacon.

      Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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