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Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sausage And Spinach

Creamy butternut squash pasta with sausage and spinach is made by simmering butternut squash puree with heavy cream, then stirring in parmesan for a silky sauce. Rigatoni or penne gets tossed until glossy with reserved pasta water, finished with wilted spinach and savory Italian sausage.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne Cook in salted water; reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed Brown and drain fat before adding back at the end.
baby spinach
  • 4 cup baby spinach Toss in at the end until wilted.
onion, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic, minced
butternut squash puree
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
pasta cooking water
  • 0.5 cup pasta cooking water Reserve from cooking pasta; use to loosen and help sauce cling.
parmesan, grated
  • 1 cup parmesan, grated Stir in after simmering so it melts smoothly.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste Use for pasta water and to finish the sauce.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta and prep ingredients
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni or penne until al dente, stirring occasionally. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water so the sauce can emulsify later.
Brown sausage
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through and crumbled, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside while you build the sauce.
Sauté aromatics and build the creamy sauce
  1. In the same skillet, sauté the onion for 4 minutes until softened and starting to turn translucent. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Add the butternut squash puree and heavy cream, stirring to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes until gently thickened. Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes, then stir in the parmesan and cook just until the sauce turns smooth and glossy.
Combine and finish
  1. Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce with the reserved pasta cooking water until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Add the baby spinach and toss 1 to 2 minutes until wilted and bright green.
  2. Return the browned sausage to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until everything is heated through and the sauce clings to the pasta.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, use freshly grated parmesan and stir it in off-and-on with steady motion so it melts into the sauce instead of clumping. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate when thawed, but you can make components ahead: cook pasta and brown sausage, then refrigerate separately for up to 2 days. To make it lighter, swap half the heavy cream for evaporated milk or additional pasta water to maintain a creamy consistency.