Description

This comforting Butternut Squash Sausage Pasta combines tender butternut squash, savory turkey sausage, and nutritious kale in a creamy sauce, served over egg noodles. It’s a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal perfect for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Sausage and Vegetables

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound ground turkey or chicken sausage (any flavor)
1 small butternut squash (about 1¼ pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3½ cups)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Liquids and Pasta

1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup half-and-half
12 ounces frozen egg noodles

Greens and Garnish

1 medium bunch kale (about 8 ounces), stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

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Instructions

Brown the Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey or chicken sausage and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside.
Sauté Squash and Onion: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the cubed butternut squash, thinly sliced red onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and golden brown. Then add the minced garlic, ground nutmeg, and cayenne pepper; cook for another minute until fragrant.
Simmer Kale and Broth: Add the chopped kale to the skillet, pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, and cover immediately. Let it simmer for 4 minutes to allow the kale to soften and flavors to meld.
Cook Noodles and Add Cream: Stir in the frozen egg noodles and half-and-half. Cover the skillet and simmer until the noodles are cooked through and the kale is tender, stirring once halfway through to prevent sticking. This should take about 7-10 minutes.
Combine and Serve: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cooked sausage. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh sage over the top. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Serve hot immediately.

Notes

You can substitute ground pork sausage if preferred.
If you don’t have fresh sage, dried sage may be used but reduce quantity to 1 teaspoon.
Frozen egg noodles can be replaced with fresh or dried noodles, but cooking time will vary.
For a creamier texture, add an extra ¼ cup half-and-half or cream.
Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.