Description
A comforting pasta dish with rigatoni, sweet butternut squash, and spicy sausage, enhanced by a creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 8 oz spicy Italian sausage
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the spicy sausage to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Incorporate the diced butternut squash and sauté until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
- Sprinkle in fresh herbs, then add the cooked rigatoni. Toss everything together until well combined.
- Finish with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve warm, garnished with extra herbs and cheese.
Notes
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving can enhance flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, butternut squash, spicy sausage, comfort food, family recipe