Every winter, I try to develop a new casserole recipe and this Roasted Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Spinach Casserole is my newest creation. I am a huge fan of casseroles, especially ones like this one, that can be made ahead and frozen for later baking. Casseroles make a hearty, filling, and satisfying meal when a side salad is added along with rolls, bread, or biscuits.
This casserole is brimming with flavor – the sweetness of the roasted butternut squash combined with flavorful sausage meat, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and spinach all mixed with a tasty cheese-based sauce with select seasonings. There are some steps involved in making this casserole but I have done the organization of the work for you. Following the steps in the order given will make the prep work efficient. Let’s take it step-by-step.
Step 1 – Preparing and Roasting the Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 400°F and line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a one-pound Butternut Squash (weighed before being peeled and the inner membrane of the squash removed).
Peel and cube the butternut squash, toss it with olive oil, and get it roasting. This squash adds lovely flavor, bulk, texture, color, and a wee bit of sweetness to this casserole. About 20-25 minutes will need to be allotted for this roasting process and the squash should not be over-roasted. Check it at 20 minutes and only roast the cubes until they are barely fork tender as the squash will cook a bit more when the casserole goes into the oven.
Step 2 – The Pre-prep Stage
I always recommend taking the time to do the upfront pre-prep work versus starting to make the dish without any organization. So, here is my recommended pre-prep work that can be done while the squash is roasting.
1. Use fresh baby spinach in this recipe. Wash the spinach and, if you have one, dry it in a lettuce spinner then gently and loosely roll the spinach in a clean tea towel to remove the excess moisture that could make the casserole watery. If you don’t have a lettuce spinner, wash the lettuce and roll the spinach gently and loosely two to three times in clean dry tea towels.
2. Measure out all the ingredients called for in the recipe. This will make the work more efficient in the long run than having to stop and find the ingredients, measure, and prepare them when the recipe method calls for them. It also helps to ensure you have all the ingredients for the casserole and that no ingredient is missed being included. It also ensures some ingredients are not getting overcooked or wilted while you stop to find and prepare each individual ingredient just at the point when it is called for in the recipe.
3. Chop the onion, slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic, and grate the Parmesan cheese.
4. Mix the sauce ingredients and set the sauce aside until needed.
5. Grease or spray the casserole dish
Step 3 – Boiling the Water for the Pasta
Now is the point at which the water should be boiled to have it ready to cook the pasta.
Step 4 – Cooking the Sausage Meat
While the squash is roasting, scramble fry the sausage meat (casings removed) until it is no longer pink. Drain the meat in a wire mesh sieve and set it aside. While plain sausage meat can certainly be used, I recommend using flavored sausage meat because that will add even more flavor to this casserole. If you have access to a great butcher shop, check with them to see if they make their own in-house sausages. Some butcher shops, like mine, make a variety of flavored sausages and some of my favorites for this casserole are sun-dried tomato, spinach and feta, sweet Italian, and honey garlic sausages.
Step 5 – Cooking the Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, cooking it only to al dente state as it will cook a bit more when the casserole goes into the oven. Use a pasta shape that has some size to it – I like rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie), or penne for this casserole.
Step 6 – Sautéing the Vegetables
While the pasta is cooking, sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Add the milk and liquid chicken bouillon, then the spinach, cooking it just until it starts to wilt. Don’t overcook the spinach. About a minute or so will be sufficient.
Step 7 – Assembling the Casserole
Assemble the casserole by mixing all of the ingredients together in a large bowl . Bake the casserole for about 28-30 minutes. Let the casserole rest for about 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven as this will allow the bubbling sauce to absorb into the casserole ingredients and set before serving.
This casserole freezes well, unbaked, so is a real tasty meal to have tucked away in the freezer for busy weeknights or simply for those days when you have no inspiration or motivation to make dinner from scratch. For information on how I suggest freezing casseroles, click here.
Roasted Butternut Squash,Sausage, and Spinach Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb (454g) butternut squash (weighed before peeling and removing seeds and inner membrane)
1 – 1½ tbsp olive oil
Sprinkle of nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
½ lb (227g) sausage meat, casings removed
1 – 10 oz (284 ml) can Cream of Cheese soup
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1½ tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp Herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning
1½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
Scant ½ cup onion, finely diced
3 oz (85g) white button mushrooms, sliced
3 – 5 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup milk
1½ tsp liquid chicken bouillon
4 oz (114g) fresh baby spinach
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
5 oz (142g) dry pasta (e.g., rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie), or penne)
Equipment Needed:
Digital Scales
Lettuce Spinner
Microplane or fine grater
Large pot for cooking pasta
Large skillet
Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel and remove seeds and inner membrane from butternut squash. Cut into cubes, about ½“ – ¾“ in size. Place squash cubes in bowl and toss with 1 – 1½ tbsp olive oil, sprinkle of nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Spread squash, single layer, on prepared baking sheet. Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes, or just until squash is barely fork tender. When squash is removed from oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Pre-prep:
Wash spinach. Spin dry spinach in a lettuce spinner and gently and loosely roll spinach in clean tea towel to remove excess moisture.
Measure out all ingredients. Chop onion, slice mushrooms, mince the garlic, grate Parmesan cheese.
Mix the sauce ingredients: In large measuring cup or bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce – Cream of Cheese Soup, milk, sour cream, maple syrup, Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Grease 1½-quart casserole dish or spray with non-stick cooking oil.
Boil water in large pot to have ready for cooking pasta.
To Make Casserole:
Heat 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sausage meat into the skillet, breaking the meat up well. Reduce heat slightly and cook the sausage meat, stirring frequently until meat is browned and no pink remains. Drain in a wire mesh sieve and discard the liquid.
Cook pasta according to package directions, cooking just to the al dente stage. Drain in sieve or colander.
While pasta is cooking, use paper towel to wipe out skillet in which sausage was cooked. Heat 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat slightly and add the minced garlic, stirring it constantly, for about 15-20 seconds. Do not let garlic scorch.
Stir liquid chicken bouillon into 1/3 cup milk until well mixed. Add to skillet. Toss in the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, for just a minute or so, until spinach starts to wilt. Do not overcook.
To assemble: Combine the cooked pasta, sausage meat, spinach mixture, and grated Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in the sauce until well mixed. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole. Bake in 350°F oven for 28-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let casserole stand at least 15 minutes to allow the bubbling sauce to absorb into the casserole ingredients and set before serving.
Serve with a side salad of choice and biscuits, rolls, or bread.
Casserole freezes well, unbaked.
Yield: 6-8 servings
NOTES:
1. If you wish, any cream soup can be used in place of the Cream of Cheese soup called for in the recipe. The Cream of Cheese soup, though, provides lovely cheese flavor that complements the sausage and spinach well.
2. Flavored sausage meat will add more flavor to the casserole than will plain sausage meat. Spinach and Feta, Sun-dried Tomato, Honey and Garlic, or Sweet Italian sausage meats are all good choices.
3. Choose a pasta shape of significant size – e.g., rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie) or penne are good options for this casserole.
For other tasty Casserole recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click the links below.
Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ham and Pasta Casserole
Chicken Chow Mein Casserole
Macaroni and Sausage Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Beef Pasta Casserole
Chicken and Ham Casserole
Sausage, Black Beans, and Pasta Casserole
Hawaiian Fiesta Casserole
If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.
Connect with My Island Bistro Kitchen on Social Media
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo found at the end of this post to your favorite Pinterest boards.
Roasted Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Spinach Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454g) butternut squash (weighed before peeling and removing seeds and inner membrane)
- 1 - 1½ tbsp olive oil
- Sprinkle of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb (227g) sausage meat, casings removed
- 1 – 10 oz (284 ml) can Cream of Cheese soup
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1½ tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp Herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
- Scant ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 3 oz (85g) white button mushrooms, sliced
- 3 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1½ tsp liquid chicken bouillon
- 4 oz (114g) fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
- 5 oz (142g) dry pasta (e.g., rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie), or penne)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel and remove seeds and inner membrane from butternut squash. Cut into cubes, about ½“ – ¾“ in size. Place squash cubes in bowl and toss with 1 – 1½ tbsp olive oil, sprinkle of nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Spread squash, single layer, on prepared baking sheet. Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes, or just until squash is barely fork tender. When squash is removed from oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Pre-prep:
- Wash spinach. Spin dry spinach in a lettuce spinner and gently and loosely roll spinach in clean tea towel to remove excess moisture.
- Measure out all ingredients. Chop onion, slice mushrooms, mince the garlic, grate Parmesan cheese.
- Mix the sauce ingredients: In large measuring cup or bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce – Cream of Cheese Soup, milk, sour cream, maple syrup, Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Grease 1½-quart casserole dish or spray with non-stick cooking oil.
- Boil water in large pot to have ready for cooking pasta.
To Make Casserole:
- Heat 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sausage meat into the skillet, breaking the meat up well. Reduce heat slightly and cook the sausage meat, stirring frequently until meat is browned and no pink remains. Drain in a wire mesh sieve and discard the liquid.
Cook pasta according to package directions, cooking just to the al dente stage. Drain in sieve or colander.
While pasta is cooking, use paper towel to wipe out skillet in which sausage was cooked. Heat 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat slightly and add the minced garlic, stirring it constantly, for about 15-20 seconds. Do not let garlic scorch.
- Stir liquid chicken bouillon into 1/3 cup milk until well mixed. Add to skillet. Toss in the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, for just a minute or so, until spinach starts to wilt. Do not overcook.
To assemble:
Combine the cooked pasta, sausage meat, spinach mixture, and grated Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in the sauce until well mixed. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole. Bake in 350°F oven for 28-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let casserole stand at least 15 minutes to allow the bubbling sauce to absorb into the casserole ingredients and set before serving.
- Serve with a side salad of choice and biscuits, rolls, or bread.
- Casserole freezes well, unbaked.
Recipe Notes
Yield: 6-8 servings
NOTES:
1. If you wish, any cream soup can be used in place of the Cream of Cheese soup called for in the recipe. The Cream of Cheese soup, though, provides lovely cheese flavor that complements the sausage and spinach well.
2. Flavored sausage meat will add more flavor to the casserole than will plain sausage meat. Spinach and Feta, Sun-dried Tomato, Honey and Garlic, or Sweet Italian sausage meats are all good choices.
3. Choose a pasta shape of significant size – e.g., rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie) or penne are good options for this casserole.
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
PIN ME TO PINTEREST!
