Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 ways you can eat butternut squash? ›

There are a few wines which pair equally well with this pasta dish. Pinot Noir really is the ultimate match for butternut squash anything. It has the red fruit notes to contrast the nutty flavors of the squash and herbal aromatics.

When taken by mouth: Butternut is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people, but it can cause diarrhea and irritation of the stomach and intestines. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use butternut in large amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It might stimulate the bowels too much.

Butternut squash, or winter squash, is harvested in the fall but it keeps well for several months. It is a good source of fiber, potassium, and several other key nutrients. The nutritional content of squash makes it beneficial for digestion, blood pressure, and for healthy skin and hair, among others.

When is butternut squash in season? Butternut squash are harvested in late summer and autumn, but because they keep so well, they can be found all year round.

Butternut squash is a plant food packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. As a result, it may help prevent against chronic disease. So, consuming butternut squash and other nutrient-dense foods is a great way to manage chronic disease risk.

For red wine lovers, Pinot Noir wines offer a crisp, fruity mouthfeel, ideal for accompanying cucurbit-based dishes such as squash, pumpkin and butternut squash. Alsace red wines from the Pinot Noir grape variety will be delicious with your squash ravioli.

The Flavor Factor

If you substitute butternut for spaghetti squash, the nutty flavor could overwhelm the sauce flavors, whereas substituting spaghetti squash for butternut could leave your dishes tasting bland.

Skin-contact white wines have nutty notes and honeyed spice that marries well with butternut. They match in color, too.

Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before cooking? ›

You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.

After your squash is cut in half, scoop and discard the seeds, then roast the butternut squash with the skin on, until fork tender. You can roast the butternut squash cut side down or cut side up, you will get a more caramelized squash when roasted cut side down.

That's right, you can eat butternut squash raw (yep, we said it). Raw butternut squash is carrot-like and holds up well in crunchy salads and slaws. If opting for raw squash over cooked squash, start by peeling away the tough outer skin (FYI, you can eat the skin when it's cooked.

Raw butternut squash is carrot-like and holds up well in crunchy salads and slaws. If opting for raw squash over cooked squash, start by peeling away the tough outer skin (FYI, you can eat the skin when it's cooked. It's full of fiber and completely edible when softened up a bit).

First of all, neither one is typically eaten raw. Cooking makes the nutrients easier to absorb and the squash easier to chew and swallow. The principal difference is that a butternut is starchier than an acorn. This makes it smoother in texture, which gives it more versatility in how it is cooked or served.

If you'd like to try it raw, here are a few ideas for that. I recommend peeling away the tough outer skin. (The skin is edible and packed with fiber, but I personally find it a little to difficult to chew when raw) For salads and slaws, you can shave it into ribbons, or use a spiralizer to create noodles.