Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage

Roasted butternut squash gets blended right into a creamy, savory sauce here, studded with browned Italian sausage and finished with Parmesan and fresh sage. Roasting the squash first concentrates its natural sweetness before it's pureed with broth and cream into something silky enough to coat every piece of pasta. It's an autumn dinner with real depth, built from a handful of straightforward steps.

Roasted butternut squash blended into a creamy sauce with browned sausage and pasta.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Fast: ready in about 60 minutes (20 min prep, 40 min cook)
• Simple: 12 everyday ingredients
• Feeds the family: 6 servings
• Light: about 550 calories per serving

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
• 1 pound pasta (penne or rigatoni work well)
• 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or spicy, depending on your preference)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: red pepper flakes for heat

Instructions

1. Pick a squash that feels heavy for its size with a matte, beige color.
2. Peel the squash with a sharp vegetable peeler, then cut it in half lengthwise.
3. Scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes.
4. Toss the cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 25 minutes, until tender.
5. If you're short on time, boiling the cubes for 10 to 15 minutes works as a faster alternative to roasting.
6. Choose a sausage style you like — Italian sausage is classic, but chicken sausage is lighter, spicy sausage adds a kick, and plant-based sausage works well too.
7. To cook the sausage, start by preparing it for the skillet.
8. Remove the casings if you're using link sausage.
9. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks.
10. Once cooked through, set it aside and drain any excess fat.
11. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion until translucent.
12. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
13. Add the roasted squash, chicken broth, and heavy cream to the skillet.
14. Puree the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer it to a standard blender if you don't have one.
15. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and chopped sage.
16. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
17. Aim for a sauce that coats the back of a spoon but still pours easily — add more broth if it's too thick, or simmer to reduce if it's too thin.
18. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente.
19. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
20. Return the pasta to the pot and add the butternut squash sauce and cooked sausage.
21. Toss everything together, adding pasta water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
22. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before serving.

Cooking Tips

• Pick a squash that feels dense for its size, since that's usually a sign of good, flavorful flesh.
• Roast the squash until well caramelized for the deepest flavor in the sauce.
• Save extra pasta water before draining — it's the easiest way to adjust the sauce's consistency.

Substitutions

• Pumpkin can replace butternut squash.
• Ground turkey sausage can replace Italian sausage.
• Half-and-half can replace heavy cream for a lighter sauce.

Storage

• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream.
• Freezing isn't recommended, since cream-based sauces can separate once thawed.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with extra Parmesan and a few fresh sage leaves.
• Add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
• Serve with a simple green salad to round out the meal.

Nutrition (per serving)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	550 kcal

You Might Also Like

• Brown Butter Sage Butternut Squash Pasta
• Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice
• Turkey and Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Salmon Bites with Garlic Cream Sauce
• Creamy Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna
• Easy Ground Beef Zucchini Boats (Healthy and Delicious)