Posted by Maia on Feb 12th 2026
Butternut Squash Pasta with Spicy Andouille
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 50-60 mins
Ingredients
For the sauce:
• 1 medium to large butternut squash
• 1 medium head of garlic (cut off the top)
• 1 medium shallot (peeled)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt + pepper
Remaining ingredients:
• 1 pound Andouille brats (or ground Italian Sausage)
• 1 box pasta of choice (we use rigatoni)
Instructions
To prep the sauce:
1. Thaw the Andouille brats from frozen.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise and take out the seeds.
4. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper.
5. Place on a baking sheet facedown (skin facing up).
6. Place the head of garlic (top removed) along with the peeled shallot on a piece of foil.
7. Season the garlic & shallot with salt, pepper and olive oil.
8. Scrunch up the foil to enclose the garlic and shallot, placing on the same pan as the butternut squash.
9. Bake until the squash is soft, about 30-40 minutes.
10. Let cool.
11. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb and discard the skin.
12. Place the meat of the butternut squash, roasted shallot and garlic cloves and ricotta cheese into a blender and blend until smooth.
(If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce to your preference.)
Remaining steps:
1. Boil water and follow pasta box instructions.
2. Once pasta is cooked, reserve about a cup of the pasta water.
3. Cut brats into pieces and brown off in a pan untill fully reheated.
4. Add the butternut squash sauce to the cooked sausage to heat through.
5. Season to taste.
7. Add pasta.
Serve with your favorite parmesan or pecorino romano and enjoy! The sauce can be made in advance for easier prep.
Variations
• For a great vegetarian dish, try using spinach or kale instead of sausage
• For a vegan version, use soaked blended cashews with a little nutritional yeast for the ricotta
