I’m working on losing weight but I’m planning a Valentine’s Day menu for my husband and I. When I plan for a special occasion I usually like to have all the foods that are so rich and decadent that you can only have them a few times a year. It’s my excuse to let loose and eat 20,000 calories, right? Well right now there is money on the line. I’m in a friendly little competition to see who looses the most weight. So I can not tell you how excited I was to find the inspiration for this pasta dish over at Skinnytaste. This dish tastes so rich but because you’re using the squash to make the sauce there is no cream so you can afford to add a little parmesan cheese and butter. Not a lot, just enough for the flavor. I think past is such a romantic dish. Maybe leftover childhood memories of The Lady and the Tramp but it’s also my husband’s favorite so it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
- 1.22 lb Turkey Sausage I used Sweet Italian
- 1 lb butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1 T butter
- 14.5 oz whole wheat Penne pasta or your favorite
- 1 T olive oil
- 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
- ¼ c shallots diced
- 3 cloves of garlic diced
- 2 c baby spinach roughly chopped
- 2 T shaved parmesan cheese
- 4 sage leaves thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- bring salted water to a boil in a large pot
- add butternut squash and cook until soft
- remove and add to blender
- blend with 1/4 c of cooking water
- add pasta to boiling water
- while that cooks remove sausage from casing and add to a large deep skillet over med high heat, break apart as it cooks
- remove from pan after fully cooked and set aside
- add olive oil to pan and mushrooms, cook until tender then removed and set aside
- add butter to pan and sauté shallots and garlic, cook until golden, stirring often
- add butternut squash, spinach, sage, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste
- add back in the sausage and mushrooms and another 1/4 c of cooking water
- remove pasta once done and add to large dish
- toss with sauce
- serve with parmesan cheese, optional
Nutrition
Lisa Sanders says
I made this tonight and it is so good! Squash from our own garden that my husband worked hard in was encouragement for him to try this dish! When I asked him to plant some, his response was, “what do you use them for”? So I had to find a good recipe!
As he was taking his empty plate to the sink, he told me to be sure to save seeds so we can plant them next year.
Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Meagan says
I made this for dinner last night and it was super amazing, though my family is a gluten free family I did have to tweak a few things. I also roasted my squash after I boiled it until about half done. This is so awesome
Aubrey says
I’m so glad you liked it Meagan! Thanks. 🙂
Maggie says
Made this last night. My husband was very skeptical of squash as the base but he actually went back for seconds! It was so delicious and creamy. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the recipe!!
Aubrey says
I’m glad you liked it! My husband was skeptical also but he did the same thing. Husbands can be pretty funny right!
Rachel says
What would you use as a side?
Aubrey says
I tend to serve a salad as a side to pasta.