Description
A rich and comforting pasta dish featuring roasted acorn squash, savory sausage, and fresh spinach in a creamy sauce. This autumn-inspired meal combines sweet, nutty flavors with hearty ingredients for the ultimate cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (penne or farfalle recommended)
- 1 medium acorn squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; drain and set aside
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat
- Add sausage and cook until browned (5-7 minutes); remove and set aside
- In same skillet, sauté onion and garlic until softened (3-4 minutes)
- Add cubed acorn squash and cook until tender (10-15 minutes)
- Pour in heavy cream and stir in fresh spinach until wilted (about 2 minutes)
- Combine cooked pasta and sausage with creamy mixture
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Serve warm topped with grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Don’t overcook pasta as it will continue cooking in the sauce
- Add pasta water to thin sauce if too thick
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days
- For vegetarian version, use plant-based sausage
- Acorn squash can be roasted separately for deeper flavor
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 85mg