This spooktacular vegan Halloween pasta is a fun dish for kids and adults alike!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s scary good: This vegan Halloween pasta is a feast for the senses. The savory roasted butternut squash sauce gives a vibrant background to the crispy, screamingly flavorful olives. Underneath it all is a bed of eerie purplish-black forbidden rice noodles. The Halloween colors and unusual flavor combination are sure to delight.
- It’s easy: Prep is super simple: just sprinkle some pantry spices on the butternut squash, pop the squash and olives in the oven, and cook the noodles on the stovetop. When the squash is ready, blitz it in the blender with a touch of broth. Or, if you’re short on time, skip the blender and just top off the noodles with the chunks of roasted squash and olives.
- It’s frightfully nutritious: The two main players in this dish—butternut squash and forbidden rice ramen—are nutrition heavy-hitters. Butternut squash is a great source of beta carotene, which supports your vision and immune system. Forbidden rice ramen contains anthocyanins (antioxidants with a variety of benefits), as well as protein and fiber to help you feel full.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash: Its vibrant orange color contrasts nicely against the dark color of the noodles and olives. Pre-cut frozen butternut squash is a terrific timesaver, if you can find it in your grocer’s freezer.
- Garlic powder: In addition to its flavor benefits, garlic powder helps support healthy blood pressure.
- Dried sage: Gives the butternut squash warm fall flavor. If you have fresh sage on hand, ½ tablespoon can substitute for the dried sage.
- Dried thyme: Adds savory depth of flavor to the squash sauce. One sprig of fresh thyme can substitute for the dried thyme.
- Freshly cracked black pepper: For seasoning, to taste.
- Kalamata olives: When roasted, these add crunchy, intensely salty flavor. Be sure to pit them and slice them in half lengthwise before roasting.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth: Broth helps transform the butternut squash into a sauce for the pasta. The amount you use will vary depending on how thick you want the sauce.
- Forbidden rice ramen: This ramen gets its lovely dark color from anthocyanins (antioxidants with a wide range of benefits). Look for it in the international aisle of your grocery store (I used Lotus Foods brand). If you can’t find forbidden rice ramen or if you would like to keep costs down, use an equivalent amount of regular pasta instead. You’ll still get Halloween vibes from the orange sauce and the roasted olives.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with the garlic powder, sage, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Step 3: Spread the butternut squash over the sheet pan, leaving a space reserved in the corner of the pan for the Kalamata olives. Place the olives in the corner, spreading them out so they cook evenly. Roast the squash and olives for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender and the olives are slightly crispy.
- Step 4: While the squash and olives are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the ramen noodle cakes and reduce the heat to a low boil. Using tongs or a fork, gently separate the noodles as they cook. Continue to cook at a low boil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the noodles are soft and spongy. Drain with a colander. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Step 5: Remove the cooked squash and olives from the oven.
- Step 6: Carefully add the squash and ¼ cup of the broth to a blender.
- Step 7: Blend until smooth. If you want a thinner, more liquidy sauce, add additional broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more pepper or spices, if desired.
- Step 8: Serve a portion of the ramen on a plate or large bowl. Top with the butternut squash sauce and garnish with the roasted olives. Enjoy with your favorite monsters!
Substitution
If you can’t find forbidden rice ramen, or you want to keep costs down, feel free to substitute an equal amount of regular short pasta (e.g., penne, macaroni) and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Although you won’t have the novelty of purplish-black noodles, you’ll still get a spooky effect from the orange sauce with black olives.
Variation
If you’re short on time or don’t feel like cleaning the blender, skip the blender step and omit the low-sodium vegetable broth. Instead, just spoon the chunks of roasted squash directly onto the pasta and scatter roasted olives on the top. Still yummy, but with even less work!
Equipment
- Cutting board (not necessary if using pre-cut butternut squash)
- Chef’s knife (not necessary if using pre-cut butternut squash)
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Large bowl
- Large pot
- Colander
- Tongs or fork
- Blender
Storage
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Best used within 3 to 4 days.
Related
Looking for other main courses? Try these:
Vegan Halloween Pasta
This spooktacular vegan Halloween pasta is a fun dish for kids and adults alike!
Equipment
- cutting board (not necessary if using pre-cut butternut squash)
- chef's knife (not necessary if using pre-cut butternut squash)
- large baking sheet
- parchment paper
- large bowl
- large pot
- colander
- tongs or fork
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound butternut squash cut into large dice (pre-cut frozen butternut squash is a great timesaver)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ to ⅓ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cakes forbidden rice ramen (approximately 7½ ounces)
Instructions
- Oven prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Season the butternut squash: In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with the garlic powder, sage, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Cook the squash and olives: Spread the butternut squash over the sheet pan, leaving a space reserved in the corner of the pan for the Kalamata olives. Place the olives in the corner, spreading them out so they cook evenly. Roast the squash and olives for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender and the olives are slightly crispy.
- Make the ramen: While the squash and olives are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the ramen noodle cakes and reduce the heat to a low boil. Using tongs or a fork, gently separate the noodles as they cook. Continue to cook at a low boil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the noodles are soft and spongy. Drain with a colander. Cover the noodles to keep them warm while you make the sauce.
- Blend the sauce: Remove the cooked squash and olives from the oven. Carefully add the squash and ¼ cup of the broth to a blender and blend until smooth. If you want a thinner, more liquidy sauce, add additional broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add more pepper or spices, if desired.
- Serve: Serve a portion of the ramen on a plate or large bowl. Top with the butternut squash sauce and garnish with the roasted olives.
Notes
- Water can substitute for the low-sodium vegetable broth, but you may need to add a pinch of salt or additional spices to boost the flavor.
- Using ¼ cup of the broth, as I did here, will result in a thicker sauce that sits atop the surface of the noodles, providing a nice backdrop for the roasted olives. If you prefer a thinner, more diluted sauce (similar in consistency to a store-bought pasta sauce), the dish will still taste good but you’ll lose some of the visual effect of the layers of vibrant, contrasting colors.
