Butternut Squash Linguine Pasta is filled with whole wheat pasta, sweet Italian turkey sausage, kale, butternut squash and brought together with creamy gruyere cheese! A perfect fall dinner.
You know what I have decided?
Having a giant bowl of creamy, velvety pasta within arms reach while being home alone is an awful idea…I mean. My self-control for all things sweets is at an all-time low.
Rock bottom I tell ya.
So it turns out, I am turning into quite the pasta lover. Growing up, I never had a thing for it. Shocker, I know! Maybe it was because my mother never really served pasta dishes? But it turns out my taste buds have quite a hankering for pasta mixed with sweet Italian sausage, velvety butternut squash and smothered in nutty gruyere cheese. Not a bad thing for sure.
This dish is exactly what fall should taste like and another reason why I am loving pasta dishes as of late. It starts with whole wheat linguine, which I love for its nutty, wholesome texture. I love adding flavor in every layer, and this is another way for me to add it. Then we add another layer, which happens to be one of my favorite meats. Sweet Italian Sausage. So much flavor. Savory with a bit of sweetness. I love it here and here. And now, here in this pasta!
But I believe the real star here is the butternut squash. It is the star of fall if you ask me. And is extremely versatile. While you can never go wrong with just caramelizing it, my newest obsession is in pasta. It’s filling, hearty and adds a creaminess to the pasta despite no cream or an obscene amount of cheese being added. As the squash cooks, the starches start to break down in the pan. So when you add the remaining ingredients, along with a bit of the pasta water and gruyere cheese, those three combined help to create a velvety sauce! Oh so dreamy.
And I have to mention my secret ingredient here. It is the same reason why I have an extreme love this sweet potato dish. Any guesses on what it is? Vanilla Extract. Yup. It heightens the flavor of the butternut squash and elevates the savoriness of the dish without overpowering any flavor.
Now excuse me while I go sneak a few more bites of pasta…
Tools I used to make this recipe:
Butternut Squash Linguine Pasta is filled with whole wheat pasta, sweet Italian turkey sausage, kale, butternut squash and brought together with creamy gruyere cheese! A perfect fall dinner.
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Yields 6
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, casing removed
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces whole wheat linguine pasta or gluten free pasta of choice
- Chicken broth to replace pasta cooking water
- 4 cups butternut squash, diced
- 6 cups kale, torn
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For serving, shaved gruyere or parmesan
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the sausage, shallot and garlic. Cook until the sausage is cooked through, breaking up as it cooks, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage mixture to a large plate. Return pan to stove top. Do not wipe clean.
- Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package instructions, using chicken broth instead of the water. When al dente, drain but reserve one cup of the pasta water.
- After the sausage is cooked, add the butternut squash to the empty skillet. Cook over medium heat until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. (This may vary depending on squash size.)
- In the last few minutes of cooking, add the kale and sausage. Stir to combine well.
- Add the pasta, reserved chicken broth, vanilla extract and gruyere cheese. Stir well until heated through and cheese melts and the liquid becomes thicker, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve
immediately, garnished with more gruyere or shaved parmesan.
Hungry for more easy dinner ideas?
30 Minute Skinny Zuppa Toscana Soup
Kale and Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with White Cheese Sauce
Baked Spinach and Mozzarella Ravioli Florentine
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