This Butternut Squash Sausage Pasta Bake is exactly the kind of cozy I absolutely love. It's loaded with sweet roasted butternut squash, savory turkey sausage, and a creamy parmesan sauce, all tucked under melty gruyere.
Jump to:
- The BEST Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed To Make This Baked Butternut Squash Pasta
- How to Make Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake
- Erin's Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- if you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
- One Pan Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake
The BEST Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake
This butternut squash pasta bake is basically fall in a casserole dish. Creamy, cheesy pasta loaded with sweet butternut squash and savory sausage? SO good. I used turkey sausage to keep things a bit lighter, but honestly, I'm all about using what you have on hand. This recipe is forgiving like that. It's the cozier, cheesier cousin to my fall harvest skillet, and I have a feeling it's about to become one of your favorites too.
This has quickly become one of my go-to baked pasta recipes for entertaining because it feeds a crowd and reheats beautifully, but it also works great as a make-ahead weeknight dinner. If you're already a fan of my butternut squash mac and cheese, I know you’ll definitely love this one. Pair it with a pear and blue cheese salad or my maple balsamic Brussels sprouts on the side, and dinner is done!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It's a full meal in one dish. Protein, veggies, and pasta all come together in a single casserole, so you don't need a bunch of sides to round out dinner.
- The sauce is ridiculously creamy. Parmesan, heavy cream, and chicken stock simmer together into a rich, savory sauce that coats every noodle.
- It's packed with fall veggies. Butternut squash and Brussels sprouts sneak in extra fiber and nutrients without weighing the dish down.
- It's freezer and meal-prep friendly. Make it ahead, portion it out, and reheat all week long (or freeze a batch for later).
- That broiled cheese topping. A few minutes under the broiler gets the gruyere golden, bubbly, and slightly crisp on top. My favorite part of any pasta bake.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Baked Butternut Squash Pasta
Here’s a little bit about everything that goes into this butternut squash sausage pasta bake:
- Pasta: I like a short noodle like rotini or penne here since they hold onto the sauce well. Any short pasta shape works.
- Ground turkey sausage: Adds savory protein without weighing the dish down. Ground chicken sausage or Italian pork sausage both work great if that's what you have on hand.
- Butter: Used to sauté the veggies and build flavor in the base of the sauce.
- Red onion: Adds a mellow sweetness as it cooks down with the squash and Brussels sprouts. Yellow onion is a fine substitute.
- Butternut squash: I use cubed squash for the best texture, but pre-cut squash from the store is a great time-saver.
- Brussels sprouts: Shredded or finely chopped so they cook down quickly and blend right into the veggie mixture. A bag of pre-shredded Brussels makes this even easier.
- Sage: Fresh sage brings that classic cozy, earthy fall flavor. Dried sage works in a pinch, just use about a third of the amount.
- Tomato paste: Adds depth and a subtle richness to the sauce without making it taste like a red sauce.
- Chicken stock: Helps thin out the sauce and adds savory flavor. Vegetable stock works too.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated melts the smoothest and gives the sauce its nutty, salty backbone.
- Heavy cream: Makes the sauce rich and velvety. Half-and-half is a lighter option, though the sauce will be slightly thinner.
- Gruyere or mozzarella cheese: Melted on top for that golden, bubbly, can't-stop-eating-it crust.
How to Make Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. Cook pasta noodles according to package, drain, and set aside. In a large dutch oven or skillet, heat over medium high heat and add sausage. Break up with wooden spoon as it is cooking and turn off heat once no longer pink. Remove sausage and drain any excess grease.
- Step 2: Turn heat back to medium-high and add 2 tablespoon butter to pan. Add in onions, butternut squash, and shredded brussels. Then mix in sage, tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flake. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Step 3: Pour in chicken stock and heavy cream, then parmesan cheese. Add sausage back in. Bring to a low simmer and let cook about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in pasta noodles.
- Step 4: Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with gruyere or mozzarella cheese and more sage. Bake for 20 minutes, broiling for a few minutes at the end to get a nice crispy crust on the cheese. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Cube the squash small. Aim for roughly ½-inch pieces so it cooks through evenly in that 10-minute sauté window.
- Don't skip draining the sausage grease. It keeps the sauce from turning greasy once the cream and cheese are added.
- Use freshly grated cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy instead of silky smooth.
- Watch the broiler closely. Cheese can go from perfectly golden to burnt in under a minute, so stay by the oven for those last couple of minutes.
- To store leftovers, let the pasta bake cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, portion cooled leftovers into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this butternut squash pasta bake. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Yes! The skin is edible but tough and fibrous even after cooking, so I recommend peeling it for a smoother, more pleasant bite in a dish like this pasta bake. If you're short on time, pre-cubed peeled squash from the store works great too.
Yes! Pre-cubed squash from the store works great here, and honeynut squash or even sweet potato can stand in for butternut squash in a pinch.
Nope! Shredded kale or spinach can be used instead, though I'd recommend adding spinach at the very end since it wilts much faster than Brussels sprouts.
You can freeze it either before or after baking. If freezing unbaked, thaw completely in the fridge before topping with cheese and baking as directed. If freezing baked leftovers, portion into airtight containers and thaw overnight before reheating.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
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Ingredients
- 1 lb noodles I like rotini or penne
- 1 lb ground turkey sausage or chicken
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 small red onion diced
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 4 cups shredded or finely chopped brussels sprouts
- ¼ cup chopped sage
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1.5 cups shredded gruyere or mozzarella cheese
- more chopped sage for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Cook pasta noodles according to package, drain, and set aside.
- In a large dutch oven or skillet, heat over medium high heat and spray with non-stick spray. Add sausage. Break up with wooden spoon as it is cooking and turn off heat once no longer pink. Remove sausage and drain any excess grease.
- Turn heat back to medium-high and add 2 tablespoon butter to pan. Add in onions, butternut squash, and shredded brussels. Then mix in sage, tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flake. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Pour in chicken stock and heavy cream, then parmesan cheese. Add sausage back in. Bring to a low simmer and let cook about 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and stir in pasta noodles. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Top with gruyere or mozzarella cheese and more sage. Bake for 20 minutes, broiling for a few minutes at the end to get a nice crispy crust on the cheese. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
- Prep ahead. Cube the squash and dice the onion up to a day in advance to make weeknight assembly faster.
- Grate your own cheese. It melts smoother than the pre-shredded bags and keeps the sauce silky instead of grainy.
- Don't skip the broil. Those last few minutes under the broiler are what give the top that golden, crispy cheese crust — keep a close eye so it doesn't burn.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
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Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Susie says
Delicious!! I will absolutely be making this again. My husband and I both loved it. Next time I’ll either buy the veggies pre-cut or give myself more prep time because it was a lot of work.
Erin says
Hi Susie, so happy you both loved it so much! 🙂
Lindsay says
Very good! Hit the spot for my cravings for a hearty yet healthy fall dish!
Erin says
Hi Lindsay, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Paige says
Can you use Gluten Free Pasta?
Erin says
Hi Paige, yes, that should work. Let me know how yours comes out!!
Kristin Lentz says
I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! The butternut squash gave it such a great flavor. Loved it!
Erin says
Hi Kristin, so happy you loved it so much!!
Emily says
I’m glad this recipe makes so much because it took a lonnnggg time, but one taste made it worth it! So so yummy, like restaurant quality.
Erin says
Hi Emily, so happy you loved it!!
Christine says
Fall in a casserole dish! My squash-neutral husband went back for seconds which was a win. I used dried sage since it was all I had on hand.
Erin says
Hi Christine, so happy you both loved it and made it your own!!
Lauren Rindo says
Huge hit! Great for a crowd or big family. I subbed sage pork sausage for flavor. Will be on repeat all season! Thanks, Erin!
Erin says
Hi Lauren, so happy you loved it and made it your own!!
Kayley says
Made this for lunch meal prep this week and couldn’t resist trying some fresh out of the oven. Used some protein pasta for a little extra protein because why not. Absolutely delicious! So flavorful & the perfect fall comfort meal!
Erin says
Hi Kayley, so happy you loved it!! 🙂