• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Happier Homemaker logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Sides
  • Desserts
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Sides
  • Desserts
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Pasta

Last updated: Aug 29, 2023 by Melissa Riker · 4 Comments

Butternut Squash & Sausage Pasta

Jump to Recipe
collage of butternut squash and sausage pasta with recipe name overlay

Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta is an easy weeknight dinner recipe and tasty enough for entertaining! This one-pan meal is full of comforting fall flavors.

butternut squash and sausage pasta in skillet

Years and years and years ago (12+ years ago!!) when I started this blog, this Butternut Squash and Sausage Penne was the first recipe I ever shared. Of course way back then I took pictures of it with my phone in harsh fluorescent light and the pictures did it no justice. So of course it is time to share it again with fresh photos!

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes and the perfect fall pasta recipe. I love the sweet flavor of butternut squash and it goes perfectly with the sage sausage and white wine sauce. It's very easy to make which makes it perfect for weeknights but I think it's special enough for entertaining as well. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients

butternut squash and sausage pasta ingredients on countertop
  • olive oil
  • butternut squash (buy pre-cubed butternut squash for convenience if desired)
  • ground Italian pork sausage or links with casings removed
  • garlic
  • dry white wine
  • chicken stock or broth
  • salt
  • ground black pepper
  • penne pasta
  • parmesan cheese as desired

Step by step

  1. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom before adding cubed squash. 
  2. Cook the squash 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer squash to a bowl and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium-high and add sausage. Cook sausage 7-8 minutes until browned, breaking up until crumbled. 
  4. Reduce to medium heat and stir in the garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add white wine and stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned sausage and deglaze the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and return squash to pan. 
  5. Add chicken broth. Heat to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
  6. Cook for about 15 minutes or until squash is very tender.
  7. While the sauce is cooking, prepare penne according to package instructions. 
  8. When pasta is finished toss the cooked pasta with sauce mixture and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

​Variations

  • If you do not want to use the wine, you can feel free to substitute the white wine for an equal amount of chicken broth for the deglazing step of the recipe.
  • Spice it up with hot Italian sausage instead of sage or add a little bit of red pepper flakes to the mix.
  • No pork sausage? If using turkey sausage, chicken sausage, or ground chicken I recommend adding fresh herbs such as fresh sage or fresh parsley for more flavor.
  • Use pecorino romano cheese instead of parmesan.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. I recommend adding a little chicken broth when reheating in the microwave to keep the pasta from drying out.

You might also like these recipes:

  • Chicken, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
  • Roasted Bell Peppers

If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
bowl with butternut squash and sausage pasta

Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Melissa Riker
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: pasta
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Butternut Squash and Sausage Penne is an easy weeknight dinner recipe and tasty enough for entertaining!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 ⅓ pounds sage Italian sausage
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • shredded parmesan cheese as desired

Instructions

  1. Heat a large pan over high heat and add the olive oil. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom before adding cubed squash.
  2. Cook the squash 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Lower heat to medium-high and add sausage. Cook 7-8 minutes until well cooked, breaking up until crumbled.
  4. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute.
  5. Add white wine and stir constantly, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned sausage.
  6. Simmer 1-2 minutes and return squash to pan.
  7. Add chicken broth. Heat to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
  8. Cook about 15 minutes or until squash is very tender.
  9. While sauce is cooking prepare penne according to box instructions.
  10. When pasta is finished toss with sauce mixture and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. I recommend adding a little chicken broth when reheating in the microwave to keep the pasta from drying out.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 607
  • Sugar: 4.4 g
  • Sodium: 169.9 mg
  • Fat: 17.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 108.9 g
  • Protein: 18.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: squash and sausage penne

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag @thehappierhomemaker — we can't wait to see what you've made!



More Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

  • slow cooker baked ziti in white bowl
    Crock Pot Baked Ziti
  • close up of simple pasta salad with ham and cheese cubes
    4 Ingredient Pasta Salad
  • tortellini soup in white bowl
    Creamy Tortellini Soup with Sausage & Spinach
  • pasta primavera in white bowl
    Pasta Primavera Recipe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Flipboard

Popular Posts

banana chips in white bowl

Homemade Banana Chips Recipe

large living room window with white curtains and yellow rug

No Holes, Renter Friendly Window Treatments!

japanese clear soup in white bowl

Hibachi Japanese Clear Soup

smashed potatoes with parsley garnish

Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

  1. Molly McDonald says

    October 11, 2019 at 12:21 am

    Looks delicious! Could I use all chicken broth and omit the white wine?

    Reply
    • Melissa Riker says

      October 12, 2019 at 7:54 pm

      Yes, absolutely you can substitute chicken broth for the white wine, I'll update the recipe to reflect that Molly!

      Reply
      • Molly Elizabeth McDonald says

        October 13, 2019 at 10:02 am

        Perfect! Thank you so much :).

        Reply
  2. Melissa says

    August 04, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    Delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Meet Melissa

Hi, I'm Melissa and I have a passion for helping people find effective ways to clean and organize, feed their families, and truly enjoy their homes.
More about me -->

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Reader Favorites

roasted bell peppers on white plate

Easy Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

fettuccine alfredoa in skillet with fresh parsley

Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce

hand holding dirty washing machine seal open

How to Clean a Front Load Washing Machine

smashed potatoes with parsley garnish

Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes

More Reader Favorites Here

30 Minute Meals

white spoon with Swedish meatballs

Turkey Swedish Meatballs

two bowls of chicken and dumplings

Easy Chicken & Dumplings

spoon full of chicken pot pie soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

close up of instant pot chicken parmesan in white bowl over penne

Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan - 20 Minute Meal

See More 30 Minute Meals

Fall Recipes

sliced ham on cutting board

What to Serve with Ham: 21 Perfect Side Dishes

collage of christmas planner pages

Complete Christmas Planner Printable Pack

The words "donut hole Elves & Reindeer" in-between two pictures of DIY donut hole elves and reindeer

Donut Hole Reindeer & Elves

cupcakes with white frosting and marshmallow snowmen

Easy Snowman Cupcakes (with VIDEO)

See More Fall Recipes

Featured On:

collage of logos of major publications and TV networks

Footer

↑ back to top

About

About

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms & Conditions

Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

Newsletter

Sign Up! f

Contact

Contact

Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Featured in:

website and magazine logo collage

Copyright Riker Media LLC© 2023

915 shares
  • 28