Creamy Caramelized Onion and Yellow Squash Pasta Recipe
This Creamy Caramelized Onion & Yellow Squash Pasta is a luscious, plant-based dish featuring deeply caramelized onions and tender yellow squash blended into a smooth, savory sauce enriched with cashews and white miso. It’s a flavorful and comforting pasta that combines natural sweetness, umami, and fresh basil for a perfectly balanced vegetarian meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking cashews)
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced
- 3 medium yellow squash (465 grams), sliced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce Ingredients
- ⅓ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
Pasta
- 454 grams (1 lb) dried pasta
- 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water (you won’t need all of it)
Instructions
- Cook the caramelized onions: Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil once hot. Add the sliced onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook the onions, stirring often, until they shrink and turn a light golden color, about 20 minutes.
- Add yellow squash and garlic: Stir in the sliced yellow squash and garlic, increase the heat to just below medium, season with salt and pepper generously. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables become jammy and caramelized with a light golden brown color, about 30 minutes. Add splashes of water if the pan becomes too dry or the vegetables brown too quickly.
- Blend the sauce: Transfer the caramelized onion and yellow squash mixture to a blender. Add the soaked and drained cashews, water, white miso, and lemon juice. Blend on high until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Cook pasta: Cook the dried pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Return the large skillet to medium heat and pour in the blended sauce. Add the cooked pasta and stir well to combine. Add reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce as needed to your desired consistency.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the fresh basil leaves and mix gently. Serve immediately, finishing with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Soaking the cashews helps create a creamy sauce texture without dairy.
- Caramelizing onions and squash slowly develops deep, natural sweetness and umami flavor.
- Use splashes of water to prevent vegetables from burning during long caramelization.
- White miso adds depth and a savory, slightly salty note to the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water is crucial for adjusting sauce consistency and helping it cling to the pasta.
- This recipe is vegetarian and can be made vegan if using pasta without eggs.