Rich rigatoni blended with butternut squash, spicy sausage, Swiss chard, and Parmesan for a balanced dinner.
# Components:
→ Vegetables & Sausage
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
03 - 1 small red onion, diced
04 - 12 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
07 - 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Pasta & Sauce
09 - 8 ounces rigatoni
10 - 1/4 cup crème fraîche
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced butternut squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 6 to 7 minutes.
02 - Add diced red onion and sauté until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Incorporate spicy Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, chopped Swiss chard, and red chili flakes. Cook until Swiss chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep mixture warm over low heat.
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining.
05 - Transfer drained rigatoni to the sauté pan with sausage and vegetables. Pour in reserved pasta water, crème fraîche, and grated Parmesan. Stir well to coat pasta evenly and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese.
