Creamy Honeynut Squash Pasta with Crispy Sage & Sausage
It’s no secret that I adore pasta. It is, hands down, my favorite dish to cook (and eat!) and this creamy honeynut squash version with a crispy sage & sausage topping is one of my favorite fall/winter pasta recipes I’ve developed!
This dish features a hearty, slightly sweet flavor from the squash, balanced with savory notes from white wine, Parmesan cheese, sausage, and sage. Don’t skip the nutmeg — it adds the perfect warmth to the dish and enhances those cozy flavors so nicely.
Serve it in a big bowl, topped with even more Parmesan cheese. It’s guaranteed to be a winner for a weeknight dinner or your next dinner party! I hope you give this one a try.
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
4 honeynut squash or 1 butternut squash (~3lbs squash)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/4 cup chiffonade sage leaves (from ~4 sprigs sage)
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tbsp butter
Pinch of nutmeg (idealy freshly grated)
1/2 cup (~1.5oz) freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
1 lb pasta (I prefer paccheri or rigatoni for this dish)
METHOD
Make the squash puree:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut your squash in half lengthwise (no need to remove the seeds or trim the ends).
Rub the squash all over with olive oil and kosher salt.
Place the squash cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a paring knife slides easily into the thickest part. Cook time will vary depending on the size of your squash.
Let the squash cool completely. Flip it over, scoop out the seeds (this will be easy once cooked), and discard them.
Scoop out the flesh of the squash and transfer to a blender. Add a small amount of water, if necessary, to blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
Make the crispy sage & sausage topping:
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces.
When the sausage is about 80% cooked, stir in the sage. Stir constantly, ensuring the sage is coated in the rendered sausage fat, and cook until the sausage is browned and the sage is crispy.
Transfer the sausage and sage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. (Placing the plate on the stove’s back burner will help keep it warm while you finish the dish.)
Discard the rendered fat from the Dutch oven, but don’t clean the pot — you’ll use it for the sauce.
Finish the dish:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Reheat the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the white wine, scraping up the brown bits from the sausage stuck to the bottom. Simmer for ~1 minute, allowing the alcohol to cook off. Stir in the squash purée and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat.
Season the boiling pasta water with a generous pinch of kosher salt and add the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Turn the heat under the squash purée back to medium and stir in the butter, nutmeg, and 1 cup of pasta cooking water (you can take directly from the pot while the pasta cooks. Simmer for 1 minute.
Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the al dente pasta to the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and heavy cream, if using. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, to taste.
Serve immediately, topped with the crispy sausage and sage.
