Autumn Sausage and Butternut Squash Pasta
A hearty and flavorful one-pan pasta dish featuring caramelized butternut squash, savory sausage, wilted greens, and Pecorino Romano. Perfect for a cozy fall dinner or as a unique Thanksgiving main dish alternative.
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven for browning sausage and cooking vegetables
- Large pot to cook pasta
- Wooden spoon for breaking apart sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb spicy Italian chicken or pork sausage, casings removed
- 1 (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into ½-inch cubes
- ¾ lb orecchiette or other short pasta
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch red chard or spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 4 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 (15 oz can) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, breaking it apart, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add more olive oil. Add diced butternut squash, season with salt, and cook until tender and caramelized. Remove and set aside with sausage.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- In skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté shallot until softened, then add greens and sage. Season with salt and cook until wilted.
- Add reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta, sausage, and squash back to the pan, tossing to combine and heat through.
- Stir in cannellini beans and Pecorino Romano. Serve hot with extra cheese, olive oil, and cracked black pepper.
Notes
For even deeper flavor, try roasting the butternut squash instead of pan-searing. The caramelization enhances its natural sweetness and adds a rustic fall flair.