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When it comes to Monday dinner, you know I am all about a good bowl of pasta, and this Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash and Tomato Ragu is high oh my list.
I’m sure you guys have days when you’re just not sure what to make for dinner? If I’m being honest, most days I pretty much always have a list of the recipes I need to make and test that day. It doesn’t matter whether they are blog recipes or recipes for a project I’m working on, I almost always know what I am making before I head into the kitchen.
I’m pretty sure that’s not the norm though, I mean do you guys cook up three to four recipes a day, five days a week? Thinking that’s probably a no.
Back before I started Half Baked Harvest, I remember most of the time I went into the kitchen to start dinner I had no idea what I was making. I used to love being creative with the ingredients I had on hand, or making something based off of a sibling’s craving. These days my recipes have to be a little more thought out, but last week I had a recipe that I ended up having to scratch for today’s post. It’s an amazing recipe, but I can’t tell you about it just yet…
Since this was an unexpected switch up, I needed to quickly come up with a delicious recipe for today. All I knew was that I wanted something easy in case any of you are in search of a good Halloween dinner for tomorrow, but that was my only criteria. Originally, I was thinking something with chicken. I actually had zero thoughts of pasta, but then somehow, this Ragu just happened and I could not be happier about it.
Throughout fall I have been on a serious winter squash and pumpkin kick. I know most people are this time of year, but for some reason this fall I am especially into it…so many yummy squash recipes still to come. I was literally scratching my head standing in my kitchen trying to decide what I wanted to make or even what flavor I wanted to go with. Frustration was quickly setting in (have you been here?), so I decided to grab the ingredients I had in surplus.
Canned tomatoes, butternut squash, and red wine…oh and butter. Obviously.
Is that a weird bunch of ingredients to have on hand? I always have canned tomatoes, and in the fall lots of butternut and acorn squash. As for the wine? Well, I have plenty of siblings who often stop in for that?
I remembered making this crockpot Tuscan sausage and white bean ragu quite a while ago, but I hadn’t cooked an Italian style meal in a bit. So I took the spicy Italian sausage I had sitting in the freezer and decided to go the Ragu route. But you guys, this is not just any Ragu. Nope, this Ragu is extra special, and for one very important reason.
Instead of simmering this sauce on the stove, we’re roasting it up in the oven, and it makes all the difference.
Just like a traditional Ragu, this does start out on the stove where you’ll brown the meat, but once you add the tomatoes, you transfer the sauce to the oven to slow roast. I know this may seem weird, but roasting the tomatoes along with the butternut squash brings out the sweetness in both veggies and allows them to caramelize on the top. It’s also deepens the flavors of the tomatoes, taking canned tomatoes to an entirely new level.
And then there’s the addition of the butter. I know, you guys must think all I use is butter (ahh, I guess I use a lot of it…), but it adds a richness to this sauce that sets it apart from all others.
Plus, we’re heading into the month of November this week and it’s just that time of year when butter in just about everything is, OK.
I served up this flavorful sauce over a bed of pappardelle pasta with a sprinkle of good parmesan.
Delicious and the perfect dinner to cook up tonight.
Also? I feel like you should know that I went back and forth many, many times between using pappardelle and rigatoni. In the end, the creature of habit in me won because I love a long cut pasta. BUT, I think rigatoni, especially the big and fancy ones (I’m sure there is a name for these…anyone?) would be equally good. So as always, use what you love.
Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash and Tomato Ragu
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 589 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 can (28 ounce) San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound Pappardelle or your favorite cut of pasta
- burrata cheese and parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage, onion, and garlic and cook until the sausage has browned all over, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the butternut squash and continue cooking until the squash is golden on the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in all of the tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, sage, and thyme. Arrange the butter slices over top. 3. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the squash is soft and the sauce thickened. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. 4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain. Stir the pasta into the Ragu sauce. 5. Divide the pasta among plates and top with burrata and parmesan. EAT.
Pretty sure it’s going to be a boo-tiful week.
Tieghan-This sauce is AMAZING! I made it with chicken sausage, half sweet Italian, half spicy. Oh my goodness! I can’t wait to share it at dinner! Thank you for another winning recipe!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Monica!
Hi Tieghan! Oh my goodness, my family and I are eating this right now as I type this. They are head over heels in love with it and keep saying, “IT’S SO YUMMY!” after every bite! Unfortunately, we don’t have any burrata, but can imagine how much more delicious it would be if we did! Thanks for the delicious recipe! Will definitely be trying more of your recipes and getting your book! You are so talented! Keep it up! Abundant blessings! Instagram: @lajollaliving
Awh that makes me so happy!! I am so glad you and your family love this recipe Chloe! Thank you!
Made this last night and even went the extra mile with homemade pasta. Followed the recipe exactly and Oh my goodness, really really scrummy! And quick and easy as well. Thanks Tieghan!!
Great! Thanks Karen!
This was great! Best of all, it passed the kid test with flying colors
Perfect!! Thank you David!
Omg!!! So so so delicious. To good to be true. I served with a bit of heavy cream on top and parmesan, it was a success.
Sounds amazing! Thank you Steph!
We absolutely loved this easy to put together dish! The burrata was the perfect addition.
Thank you Lynne!
I am a huge fan of this recipe. I made it tonight (Halloween) while my husband handed out candy to all the little monsters. I just wonder what I did wrong that my sauce looked more loose and “saucy” while yours was tight and rich looking. I even put it back in the oven for an extra 15 minutes.
Hey Jen! So glad you loved the recipe. My guess is that your tomatoes had more liquid than mine creating a looser sauce. For a thicker sauce you and either simmer on the stove for 15 minutes or continue cooking in the oven for another 30 minutes or so, that should thicken it. Please let me know if you have other questions. Thank you! 🙂
Now this is what I call a perfect dinner!
Thank you Julia!
I am so overdue for pasta night and this is exactly the kind of meal I’m craving! 🙂
Yes! I hope you love this Laura!
Hey Tieghan,
This looks really nice and the oven roasted sauce sounds perfect! I can’t wait to try the sauce. My mom said she’s planning on white chicken chili for halloween and spent today making 3 different soups ?. I might make myself some soup too, but your sauce looks really nice! Maybe I could make it vegan with wild mushrooms? I hope your week is starting out well and you’re enjoying the cold weather. 🙂
Your mom sounds so great! I could totally go for three different soups with weather like this haha! I hope you love this dish, Kristin! Let me know! Thank you!
I had half a butternut squash that had to be used up so I made this for dinner – the fastest I have ever made a recipe of yours since publication 🙂 I made half with the sausage and half without for the meat eaters and vegetarians in the family – everybody liked it! Thanks a lot and keep the squash recipes coming!
Hi Vera! I am so glad you loved this dish! Thank you so much!
Looks delicious, love pasta and I have all the ingredients for this one. The more pasta the better.
Thank you Joyce!
My heavens! The minute I saw the recipe I knew I was going to make it. It sounds absolutely amazing and what could be better than topping it off with so good cheese. We love to make our homemade pasta so it would be entirely homemade. Can’t wait to crank up the oven!!
Great! I hope you love this Marisa!
this is so so comforting, just the sight of it had me drooling and hungry straight away, well done!
https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
Thank you!
Hmmm, in this case, I’m the type like you: have everything planned for the whole week. I sit down for a few minutes and make a list of meals from Monday to Sunday to prepare. I need to do this, because it is based on the fact which ingredients I desperately need to consume before they go bad.
When I’m in store, I do not think what to do with a certain ingredient – it happens I buy something just because it is on sale and then, at home, I realize that I don’t know how to process it. So I maybe google some recipes, or think of other stuff I have on hand and create a recipe. Then I don’t need to worry what to do, whey I come late from the work. Because, you know how is it: the last thing you have on mind is cooking when you are tired and want to go to bed after a long day.
I have a spaghetti squash waiting for the opportunity to shine – I will use it as my pappardelle and a gigantic butternut squash –> is it too much of squashes in one meal?? ??
Love spaghetti squash and like you have one to use. But I scored 15 butternut squash at a roadside stand (and they were mammoth, over 7 pounds each!!!!!!) for 75 cents each. Whoa.
I hope you love this recipe!! And no not too many squashes, it will taste great! Thank you!