Butternut Squash Pasta
from kristineskitchenblog.comThis butternut squash pasta with sausage is an easy dinner idea that's full of vibrant fall flavors! Serve it with some sliced sourdough or a simple green salad.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 732kcal
Ingredients
For the roasted squash:
- 3 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and chopped into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups cubed squash)
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Remaining ingredients:
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta or another short pasta shape
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup chopped shallot 1 medium shallot
- 6 leaves fresh sage chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
For serving (optional):
- grated Parmesan cheese
- red pepper flakes just a few pinches, to taste, for heat
Instructions
- Roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cubed squash in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat the squash with the oil and seasonings. Spread the squash out on the baking sheet in a single layer with a bit of room in between each piece. Bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the squash pieces and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until squash is tender when pierced with a fork and lightly browned on the edges.3 pound butternut squash, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta (do not rinse).1 pound orecchiette pasta
- While the pasta cooks: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage (first remove it from the casings if sold in casings), crumble and cook until cooked through.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound Italian sausage
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and shallot to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped fresh sage and cook for 1 minute.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup chopped shallot, 6 leaves fresh sage
- Add the minced garlic and chopped spinach and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until spinach wilts. Add the cooked pasta, 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water, and some salt and pepper, to taste. If the pasta seems dry, stir in 1 more tablespoon of pasta cooking water. Last, gently mix in the roasted butternut squash.2 cloves garlic, 3 cups chopped fresh spinach, salt and pepper
- Serve, with grated Parmesan and a few pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Video
Notes
Recipe Variations:
- Add toasted pine nuts or toasted walnuts. (Toast them for a few minutes in a skillet over medium-low heat.)
- Make this dish year-round by swapping other veggies when it’s not butternut squash season. Try roasted broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes or roasted brussels sprouts. In the spring and summer, try my Pasta Primavera recipe instead.
- Swap the sausage for bacon. Cook it in the skillet to build a base layer of flavor for the dish, then crumble and add it to the finished pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 1313mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 25574IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 4mg
