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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Vegan Kabocha Squash Pasta Sauce - AIP-Friendly

For the last seven months, I've really missed tomato sauce while on the AIP diet.  I've made a few "nomato" sauces from pureed winter squash, beets and seasonings, but it was just missing that savory, robust taste you get from a tomato sauce.  I found several kabocha squash sauce recipes online, but most of them were filled with heavy cream, cheese and spices I couldn't have.  I decided to try to make something that was vegan and AIP-friendly, and it worked!  I'm happy to say I found a replacement that makes me not miss tomato sauce one bit!  I could have eaten the entire pot of sauce. It smelled wonderful while cooking and was absolutely delicious!  This is my new favorite!  This recipe will serve 4.


  • 1 3-pound kabocha squash 
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • ⅓ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (I recommend Natural Value, as it has no additives)
  • ⅛ teaspoon mace
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons ume plum vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper (omit for AIP)
  • Vegetable stock or broth, if needed, to thin to desired consistency (make sure to use one that's free of nightshades or use homemade)


  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cut the kabocha squash in half width wise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy pulp. Pour a thin layer of water (about ¼ cup) into a baking dish and place the squash halves cut side down in the water. Bake the squash until it is fork tender (an inserted fork goes in and out with ease, about 45 minutes). Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skins and transfer to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Discard the skins.
  2. In a medium sauce pan, warm avocado oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft (4 – 5 minutes). Stir in the kabocha squash puree and cook for an additional minute. Slowly add the coconut milk into the squash mixture, making sure it is completely incorporated before the next addition. Add the nutritional yeast, mace, garlic and ume plum vinegar, stirring to incorporate. If you want sauce with a thinner consistency, stir in vegetable broth or stock until desired consistency is achieved.  
  3. Remove the sauce from the heat and add parsley and lemon juice. Taste your sauce and season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice if needed. 
  4. Serve on spiralized vegetable noodles, cooked veggies, cooked sweet potato starch noodles (Korean glass noodles) or anything else you please!