Fall flavors fill this super-easy and delicious pasta dish. Butternut squash, sweet Italian sausage, sage and pasta go together like, well like butternut squash and sage. Everything is cooked in the same pan (except for the pasta), so clean-up is easy.
A low-carb option for this is to make noodles out of the butternut squash. You can check out my Butternut Squash Noodles from a few years ago.
When we heat the butter and it starts to brown (caramelize), it adds a ton of flavor. We're really "pan roasting" the butternut squash for this dish, instead of cooking it in the oven. It will cook a lot faster and helps keep down on the dishes.
The sage fries with the butter and gets nice and crispy, creating a delicious savory aroma around the kitchen.
Sweet Italian Sausage is just the best, isn't it? I feel like it can be added to just about anything to add so much wonderful flavor. My favorite place to buy sausage is at Sprouts Market butcher counter. They make the sausage in-house; it is so delicious and is often on sale.
The cream picks up the flavor of the squash and the sausage to help coat the pasta noodles to make every bite delicious. A little vinegar at the end adds some brightness and a great contrast with the richness of the flavors.
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Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cups Butternut Squash, cut into ¼" dice
- 3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, divided
- ½ lb Sweet Italian Pork Sausage
- 8 Fresh Sage Leaves
- 8 oz Pasta, cooked al dente
- ¾ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tablespoon Sherry Vinegar
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and the butter starts to brown.
- Add the diced butternut squash and 4 sage leaves.
- Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes until brown and tender, stirring frequently. Season with kosher salt & freshly ground pepper.
- Remove the squash from the skillet and set aside.
- Remove the sausage from its casing and add to the skillet with a little oil, breaking it up into bite size pieces with the back of a spoon or spatula. Brown and cook through.
- Add the squash back to the skillet along with 4 more sage leaves and 1 tablespoon butter.
- Cook for another 2 minutes to crisp sage leaves.
- Reduce the heat to low and add heavy cream, cooking for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add the cooked pasta, vinegar and grated parmesan cheese.
- Gently stir to combine and remove from heat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water.
- Serve immediately with more grated parmesan.
Daisy says
Amazing! So tasty!!
justin says
Happy to hear it, Daisy!
Tori says
Lovely easy to follow recipe, very tasty. I added leek as well!
justin says
Leeks are such an underutilized ingredient. They make everything better. So glad you enjoyed the pasta!
Janet says
I think i will use coconut milk instead of the heavy cream! Having this tonight!
Deborah says
Yummy meal! I don't have any vinegar. I added some nutmeg..yum!
justin says
Hi Deborah - Thanks so much for trying the recipe and letting me know. It's perfect for this time of year 🙂
Carlos At Spoonabilities says
What a beautiful and delicious pasta meal. I never tried to cook the squash in the pan, but I definitely will try your recipe. I love butternut squash and the pleasant aroma and taste of the sage.
justin says
Thanks so much, Carlos! Yeah, cooking the squash in the pan can be really great. And for soups, it eliminates the extra step of roasting. 🙂