Baked Butternut Squash Sausage Pasta

We adore this baked butternut squash sausage pasta! It’s such a cozy comforting dish for the fall months with tons of flavor. Satisfying, easy to make and feeds a crowd. The best!

I have baked fall in a pan!

This squash, sausage and spinach baked pasta is so cheesy, savory, hearty and satisfying that it will become a repeat meal in your kitchen each autumn. Leftovers are great, it feeds a crowd and has a little bit of everything. 

If you’re looking for something different to serve on Halloween before heading out to trick or treat, let this be it!

Traditionally, we do a chili bar on Halloween but I am very very tempted to serve this pasta. Or even serve it on the side of the chili. Ha!

It has so much flavor – sweetness from the squash, some heat from the italian sausage, melty and gooey cheese and the tender pasta. I can’t even stand how delicious it is! 

There is nothing better than a dish of cheesy baked pasta. It’s cozy, comforting and can be served for almost anything. Weeknight dinner? Check. Game day meal? Perfect. Date night? Serve it with a salad. Meal prep for lunches? Even better.

You can’t go wrong with this one. 

This is one of those meals that my family craves, asks for or just all around gets excited about when they know it’s for dinner. Especially if I serve it with a house salad and some garlic bread. It just tastes like home. Or better yet, an autumn home! 

This is how I make it! 

First up, I boil the pasta and drain it. Easy.

Next, while the pasta is boiling, I brown the sausage. I’ve never loved sausage but the browner the better here. Those crispy bits are perfect. I prefer to use a spicy italian sausage for this recipe, but a sweet sausage would also work! 

Once the sausage is browned, I transfer it out of the pan but leave all those little brown bits. Aka, flavor! And I use that flavor to build the rest of the meal. 

Into the same pan goes a diced onion, lots of garlic and some cubed butternut squash. I also like to add some sage to this combo. I saute those veggies until softened, especially the squash. Make sure the chunks are small enough so they cook within 10 to 12 minutes.

You want them tender so they are enjoyable to eat! 

Then, I toss in the spinach. An entire bag, which cooks down to basically nothing. You know the deal. But it gives us some greenery! I also add the spinach back into the pan. 

The pasta is hanging out in a large baking dish. I pour the whole mixture on top of the pasta and then toss it well until it’s really combined.

Finally, I add some shredded cheese and toss that in too. There is nothing better than melty cheese pulls in baked pasta.

I bake it for 30ish minutes and serve with some grated parm on top.

It tastes AMAZING.

A must try!

Baked Butternut Squash, Sausage and Spinach Pasta

Baked Butternut Squash, Spicy Sausage and Spinach Pasta

Prep Time: 35 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

We adore this baked butternut squash sausage pasta! It’s such a cozy comforting dish for the fall months with tons of flavor. Satisfying, easy to make and feeds a crowd. The best!

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the pasta according to the directions. When it’s finished, drain and place the pasta in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

• While the pasta is boiling, brown the sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Break it apart with a wooden spoon until it is in small crumbles and browns completely. Transfer the sausage to a plate.

• To the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, squash and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the sage and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

• Once the squash is tender, stir in the spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts. Transfer that whole mixture – the squash and spinach – to the dish with the pasta. Toss it with the pasta until it’s fully combined.

• Stir in half of the cheese until it’s mixed in with the pasta. Stir in the parmesan. Top the pasta with the rest of the cheese.

• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

• Remove and sprinkle with more parmesan before serving.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

Cheesy goodness!