Go Back
Weeknight butternut squash pasta with turkey sausage and spinach for cozy dinners Pinterest recipe pin

Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach

A creamy, stovetop butternut squash pasta with browned sausage and spinach—roasted squash and reserved pasta water produce a silky, well-balanced fall dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 630
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Squash and sauce
  • 2½ pounds butternut squash peeled and seeded, divided (about 1 medium squash)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 small shallot or ¼ cup onion grated
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed or roasted
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Pasta and finish
  • 12 ounces rigatoni or penne
  • 1 pound turkey or chicken Italian-style sausage casings removed or your preferred alternative sausage
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 4 cups packed baby spinach
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for serving (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
  • Reserved pasta cooking water ¼–½ cup as needed
Optional
  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt optional, for creamier finish — optional

Equipment

  • 1 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan
  • 1 High-speed blender or immersion blender
  • 1 12-inch skillet
  • 1 6–8 quart large pot

Method
 

Roast squash
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut squash in half; dice half into 1-inch cubes, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt, and spread on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast until caramelized at edges, 25–30 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of roasted cubes for blending and the remainder for finishing.
Simmer squash
  1. Cut remaining squash into larger chunks and place in a medium saucepan with 1 cup chicken broth and a pinch of salt. Simmer until very tender, about 15 minutes; drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid, and transfer to a blender.
Make squash sauce
  1. In the blender combine the simmered squash, 1 cup roasted cubes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, shallot or grated onion, garlic, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more reserved liquid or pasta water in small amounts to reach a thick, pourable consistency. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Brown sausage and aromatics
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and the sausage. Brown without stirring for 2–3 minutes, then break up and continue browning until deeply colored, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving about 1 tablespoon fat in the pan.
  2. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat until translucent, 4–5 minutes; add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze and finish sauce
  1. Return the browned sausage to the skillet, pour in ½ cup chicken broth to deglaze, and scrape up browned bits. Lower heat and stir in the blended squash sauce, warming gently—do not boil. Meanwhile cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Add drained pasta to the skillet along with 4 cups baby spinach and ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Toss and add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until sauce clings to the pasta (about 2–6 tablespoons usually, up to ½ cup if needed). Adjust salt and pepper, finish with lemon juice if using, and fold in the remaining roasted squash cubes for texture.
Serve
  1. Divide pasta among bowls, sprinkle with extra Parmesan if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

Roast some squash to concentrate flavor and simmer other pieces for easy blending; reserve pasta water to smooth the sauce. If using Greek yogurt, add it after removing the sauce from the heat to avoid curdling. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2–3 days; freeze only the blended sauce, not the assembled pasta.