creamy pumpkin & cashew pasta bake
This is one is a family favourite, it is so delicious and keeps you going back to the tray for more! The best part is, you can prepare it a couple of days in advance and have it in the fridge ready to be baked (who doesn’t love a 30-minute dinner?). The leftovers also make for the best lunch the next day!
recipe (serves 4-6)
ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
250g kent pumpkin (approx. 2 cups chopped pumpkin)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup almond milk
750g whole grain or pulse pasta (chickpea, red lentil, whole meal, spelt, buckwheat)
2 cups spinach
parmesan cheese, grated
olive oil
salt
method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Remove skin and seeds from pumpkin and chop into large chunks.
3. Put the pumpkin in a tray and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and roast for 45 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add two whole cloves of garlic (in their skin) to the tray and allow them to roast alongside the pumpkin.
4. When the pumpkin is almost cooked, add the cashews to a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes and then drain the water.
5. Put on a pot of water with a sprinkle of salt and bring to the boil for the pasta.
7. When the pumpkin is cooked, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook according to package instructions.
8. While the pasta is cooking, in a food processor, add in the drained cashews, roasted pumpkin, garlic (skins now removed), chilli flakes, almond milk, Italian seasoning, and a really good sprinkle of salt. Blend until it forms a smooth and creamy mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust if you need to.
9. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Add in the creamy mixture and spinach and mix until every piece of pasta is covered, and the spinach has wilted.
10. Pour the pasta into a baking dish, add some shaved parmesan to the top and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
tip
Tip 1 - You can skip the baking and just serve it from the pot if you’re short on time and it would be equally delicious!!
Tip 2 - This is a great one to prepare ahead of time. Do everything except bake in the oven two to three days before and bake it the night you’re having it for dinner (it might just need a few extra minutes in the oven).
