Butternut Squash, Sage & Sausage Pasta

pasta / holiday

This butternut squash pasta is healthy, comforting, and delicious! Roasted squash and sage fill the creamy sauce with cozy autumn flavor and the sweet Italian sausage is the perfect addition.

Squash is one of the most versatile vegetables. It can be roasted, used in soups, mashed, and so on. And it’s the base for this pasta sauce. I love the simple, sweet flavor that butternut squash gives to the pasta. It has become a fall favorite in my house!

The creamy sauce is rich and nutty, with bold autumn flavor from herbs like sage and nutmeg. Because it’s so flavorful and complex, this butternut squash pasta would make a show-stopping vegetarian main dish at a special occasion dinner if you left out the sausage. Still, it’s really comforting and easy to make, so go ahead and enjoy it on regular old weeknights too.

Here are the Ingredients for the Butternut Squash, Sage & Sausage Pasta:

• Vegetables - White Onion, Butternut Squash, Garlic

• Seasonings - Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg

• Herbs - Sage

• Dairy - Butter, Half & Half, Parmesan

• Pantry - Chicken Broth, Olive Oil, Pasta

• Meat - Sausage

More Delicious Fall Pasta Recipes You’ll Love:

• Pumpkin & Gouda Stuffed Shells with Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce

• Pumpkin Mac & Cheese with Bacon & Sage

• Pink Gnocchi

• Butternut Squash Alla Vodka with Fried Prosciutto

• Baked Vodka Ziti

Yield 4

Author Casey Cheek

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Total time

45 Min

Print

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Butternut Squash, Sage & Sausage Pasta

This butternut squash pasta is healthy, comforting, and delicious! Roasted squash, sage, and nutmeg fill the creamy sauce with cozy autumn flavor, and the sweet Italian sausage is the perfect addition.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed
• 1 white onion, chopped into halves and then quarters
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 16 oz sweet Italian sausage
• 2 tbsp butter
• 6-8 large sage leaves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 cup half & half
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 1 lb pasta (I used butterfly noodles with are most similar to bowtie, but rigatoni or penne would also work well in this)
• 1/4 cup pasta water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Add the butternut squash, onion, and whole garlic cloves to a baking sheet. Toss in olive oil and roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping the veggies halfway through.
3. Once roasted, add it all to a blender with the chicken broth and blend until creamy. Set aside.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. While the water boiling/ pasta is cooking, make your sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan and add the sausage. Cook on medium heat. When browned and cooked through, remove and set aside.
6. Turn the heat to medium low, and add the butter. Once butter starts to brown slightly, add in the chopped fresh sage. Cook until fragrant.
7. Add in the butternut squash puree, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes. Slowly add in the half and half while stirring. The sauce should thin out, but still remain thick. Then add in the parmesan.
8. Pour in the salted pasta water and stir again until sauce thickens back up. Toss in the sausage and the cooked pasta.
9. Serve and top with more parmesan. Enjoy!

Notes

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Pasta:  Omit the sausage, add more butternut squash and onion.

Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta: Omit the sausage, add more butternut squash and onion. Substitute half & half for plant-based milk and the parmesan for vegan parmesan.

Pasta substitutions: Substitute any type of pasta for the butterfly pasta. Bowties, Rigatoni, and Penne would all be great options.

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