Creamy Tortellini with Butternut Squash & Sausage

By Maria Lichty

Published on November 20, 2024

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Creamy Tortellini with Butternut Squash and Sausage is a comforting and flavorful dish that is easy to make at home. The combination of tender tortellini, savory sausage, sweet butternut squash, and a rich, creamy sauce is pasta perfection. It basically feels like a warm hug on a plate.

It’s the perfect meal for fall or winter, offering a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. Garnish with fresh sage, crushed red pepper flakes, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the perfect finishing touch! Your family and friends will love this hearty pasta dish.

Ingredient Notes

• Butternut Squash: Roasted butternut squash adds a lovely sweetness and depth of flavor to the dish. The squash is diced and roasted until tender, with caramelized edges that enhance its natural sugars. I also add a little pure maple syrup because it pairs beautifully with the squash and sausage.
• Sausage: The sausage adds a bold, savory flavor. I use mild Italian sausage, but if you want a spicy kick you can use spicy sausage.
• Tortellini: This cheese filled pasta provides a soft, pillowy texture that pairs perfectly with the creamy sauce. The tortellini can either be fresh or frozen, cook according to package instructions.
• Creamy Sauce: The sauce is simple! It’s made with heavy cream, broth, shallot, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. It creates a velvety base that ties all the ingredients together.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the cubed butternut squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft and tender, but not mushy. Remove from oven and drizzle with maple syrup and gently stir. Set aside.

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or pot, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned. If there’s a lot of excess fat, drain most of it. Transfer the sausage to a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. Set aside.
• Salt the boiling water generously and cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

• In the same Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and stir until sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

• Add the sausage and tortellini to the sauce and stir until well coated. Gently stir in the roasted butternut squash. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve warm with extra parmesan cheese, sage, and crushed pepper flakes.

Serving Suggestions

• Simple Kale Salad
• Simple Arugula Salad
• Garlic Bread
• Dinner Rolls
• Roasted Broccoli
• Green Beans Almondine
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

More Butternut Squash Pasta Recipes

• Butternut Squash Lasagna
• Butternut Squash Orzo
• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
• Butternut Squash Baked Ziti
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Brown Butter Ravioli with Butternut Squash

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Pasta

Creamy Tortellini with Butternut Squash & Sausage

Creamy tortellini with butternut squash and Italian sausage is a comforting dish that combines the rich, savory taste of sausage with the sweet notes of roasted butternut squash, all enveloped in a creamy, luscious sauce.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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For the squash:

• 4 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

For the tortellini:

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• 19 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Garnish: extra parmesan cheese, sage, and crushed red pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the cubed butternut squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft and tender, but not mushy. Remove from oven and drizzle with maple syrup and gently stir. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or pot, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned. If there’s a lot of excess fat, drain most of it. Transfer the sausage to a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. Set aside.
• Salt the boiling water generously and cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• In the same Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and stir until sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• Add the sausage and tortellini to the sauce and stir until well coated. Gently stir in the roasted butternut squash. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve warm with extra parmesan cheese, sage, and crushed pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 765kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 48g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 156mg, Sodium: 1252mg, Potassium: 617mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 10723IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 301mg, Iron: 4mg

Keywords butternut squash, sausage, tortellini

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