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Easy Fall Harvest Pasta with Sausage and Kale: A 30-Minute Meal

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This quick and easy fall pasta combines spicy Italian sausage, tender lacinato kale, and roasted butternut squash in a silky sauce made with pasta water and Parmesan. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that even kale skeptics will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces short pasta (rigatoni, penne, or fusilli)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water, plus more for seasoning)
  • 1 pound spicy Italian sausage (casings removed)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale (stems removed, leaves chopped into bite-sized ribbons, about 4–5 cups loosely packed)
  • 1 cup butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes (about half a small squash)
  • ½ cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting squash)
  • Red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and roast for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and fork-tender.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside (do not rinse).
  3. While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage (no oil needed) and break it into small crumbles. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop a brown crust, then stir and cook until fully cooked and crispy, about 5-6 minutes total. Transfer sausage to a plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pan.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent and starting to brown. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the white wine (or broth) and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes until reduced by half.
  6. Add chopped kale to the pan in handfuls. Toss with tongs and cook for 2-3 minutes until bright green and just wilted.
  7. Add cooked pasta, roasted squash, and browned sausage back to the pan. Pour in about ½ cup of reserved pasta water and toss everything together. If sauce seems too thick, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
  8. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the pasta and toss gently until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and optional red pepper flakes.
  9. Serve immediately, divided into bowls, topped with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Notes

Don’t overcook the kale—2-3 minutes is enough. Brown the sausage properly by letting it sit undisturbed for a few minutes. Reserve more pasta water than you think you need (at least 1 cup). Toast the squash for better flavor by roasting at high heat. Use short, ridged pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne for best sauce adherence. Time your components: start squash roasting first, then pasta water, then sausage.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall pasta, sausage and kale pasta, 30-minute meal, easy weeknight dinner, butternut squash pasta, Italian sausage pasta, kale pasta recipe

Find it online: https://islatable.com/easy-fall-harvest-pasta-with-sausage-and-kale-a-30-minute-meal/