Creamy Squash And Gouda Pasta With Crispy Italian Sausage
This butternut squash and gouda pasta with crispy Italian sausage is everything you want in a weeknight dinner: velvety, cheesy, and deeply satisfying. The natural sweetness of butternut squash blends beautifully with the smooth richness of gouda, creating a sauce that feels indulgent yet wholesome. Topped with crispy Italian sausage and fragrant garlic, every bite delivers the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and creamy comfort.
Equipment
- 2 large sauce pans (one for boiling pasta and one for making the sauce)
- 1 non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet
- 1 Immersion blender or stand blender
Ingredients
- 18 oz cubbed butternut squash (frozen or fresh) 500g
- 1 cup water 250ml
- 7 oz or 1 ¾ cups freshly shredded gouda cheese 200g
- 3 tbsp heavy cream (double cream)
- ½ cup whole milk 100ml
- 0.5 lb ground italian sausage 225g
- 12 oz pasta (I used fusilloni) 350g
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 handfull chopped fresh parsley (or 1tsp dry parsley)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Boil the pasta
- In a large pan, boil about 10 cups (2.5l) of water with a pinch of salt.
- Once the water starts boiling, add the uncooked pasta and stir.12 oz pasta (I used fusilloni)
- Let it boil al dente on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes.
Make the sauce
- In a large pan, boil the frozen (or fresh) cubbed butternut squash in a cup of water (250ml).18 oz cubbed butternut squash (frozen or fresh), 1 cup water
- Let it simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes or until soft.
- Once the squash is soft, add the milk, heavy cream, salt and pepper.3 tbsp heavy cream (double cream), ½ cup whole milk , salt and pepper to taste
- Cream everything together with an immersion blender or blender.
- Add the gouda cheese and mix until homogeneous and creamy.7 oz or 1 ¾ cups freshly shredded gouda cheese
Mix the pasta
- Once the pasta is ready, drain it over the sink and pour the pasta back in the pan.
- Pour the squash and gouda sauce over the pasta and mix well.
- Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat until the pasta is well coated, soft, and creamy.
Crisp up the Italian sausage
- In a non stick pan or a cast iron skillet, fry the Italian sausage together with the minced garlic on medium heat until beautifully browned and crispy.0.5 lb ground italian sausage, 2 cloves garlic
- Chop up the fresh parley and toss it in the Italian sausage mix. Or sprinkle some dried parsley, if you are not using fresh.1 handfull chopped fresh parsley (or 1tsp dry parsley)
- Serve the pasta warm and topped with the crispy Italian sausage, garlic, and parsley mix.
- Optional: sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese for the ultimate Italian fall pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 525gCalories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 29gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gSodium: 880mgPotassium: 920mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 10200IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 350mgIron: 3mg
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