Butternut, Spinach & Sausage Pasta

Butternut, Spinach & Sausage Pasta

A quick and supremely flavorful pasta for a busy weeknight.

Recipe by Lunches + Littles
Ingredients
  • 3 links Bourbon Apple Chicken Sausage
  • A few sprigs of fresh sage + more for garnish
  • 1 small butternut squash (prepped/peeled, and cut into cubes)
  • 12 ounces pasta of choice
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 c (or more) walnuts
  • a few handfuls baby spinach
  • parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Prep sage: reserving a few pieces for garnish, chop the rest. Set aside.
  3. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with cooking oil. Toss butternut cubes with a few drizzles of olive oil, and season with salt/pepper. Bake 18- 20 min, flipping once.
  4. While squash is cooking: cook pasta per package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/4 c pasta water.
  5. Slice sausage links into small pieces. Then, in a large skillet or pan over medium heat, add a tiny bit of olive oil, then add sausage pieces and spinach to pan and sauté a couple of min until sausage is cooked through (flipping once) and spinach is wilted. Remove sausage/spinach from pan. Set aside.
  6. Next, in the same skillet (over medium heat): melt butter and cook 3 min until butter is bubbling and begins to brown. Add walnuts and chopped sage to pan. Cook 2 min more until walnuts are toasted.
  7. To the same skillet that is holding your browned butter, add in: pasta, spinach, reserved pasta water and butternut squash. Gently toss to combine.
  8. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, as desired. Season with salt/pepper.
  9. Divide finished pasta between 4 plates (multiply recipe as needed to serve more).
  10. Enjoy!