Butternut Squash Pasta with Chorizo
Creamy, roasted butternut squash pasta, topped with crispy Mexican chorizo and onions, finished with fresh herbs.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ~ 1 ½ lbs cubed butternut squash about 1 medium-sized squash
- 6 - 8 oz mexican chorizo sausage I use premium chorizo, see notes
- 8 -12 oz dried rigatoni pasta or similar, such as penne (pictured is paccheri millerighe)
- 1 large white onion
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or similar, such as sage or rosemary
- olive oil
- 1 ½ cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon corn starch for thickening sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock or sub water or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
- Peel the onion and slice it in half. Dice half of the onion, and cut the other half into strips as pictured.
- On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut squash and large onion chunks in a generous amount of olive oil. (Note, leave the onion in larger chunks if you want it to cook less, or separate into smaller pieces if you want it to cook more). Make sure everything is evenly coated in oil. (diced onion should be set aside for later)
- Bake the butternut squash and onion pieces in the preheated oven until the squash is soft and stating to char on the outside, about 30 minutes. Toss it once about halfway through.
- Meanwhile, cook the chorizo and diced onion together in a large skillet over medium heat until the chorizo is cooked through (about 10 mins, see left reference image), then raise the heat to medium-high and keep cooking, stirring frequently, until it begins to char (see right reference image). Remove the mixture to a plate and carefully wipe the pan clean.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook per package directions for al dente, but don't add the pasta to the water until the dish is almost ready, after the squash is done roasting. Drain and set aside until needed.
- When the squash and onions are done roasting, add them to a blender along with the half-and-half, garlic, corn starch, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Add the blended sauce to the large skillet and set it over medium heat. Heat the sauce until it is simmering, stirring constantly. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water or half-and-half. If the sauce is too thin, allow it to reduce further. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
- When the sauce is ready, add the drained pasta and mix well, so the pasta is completely coated. Plate the pasta into serving dishes, then top with the chorizo mixture and fresh thyme.
Notes
Typically, Mexican chorizo is made with pork byproduct, but some brands offer chorizo made with "premium cuts of pork" like pork shoulder. They are a little more expensive, but I prefer the premium version when it's available.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25 batchCalories: 615kcalProtein: 22g
Love this recipe?Join us on Instagram to never miss a new post!