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    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce with Crispy Brown Butter Sage

    October 21, 2018

    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

    Hi friends! If you’re looking for the perfect cool weather dinner that the whole family will love- I found it for you! I made this dish once last year, and decided to make it again last week. I’m a sucker for butternut squash-anything and well, here we are! (Literally when it’s cold, there is something squash-based in my fridge at all times!)

    I posted these on my insta-stories as I was making them and y’all voted you wanted the recipe, so I’ve also created a pinterest- friendly graphic (the one at the very top) for you to pin and save for later, too!

    This recipe is super easy- If just a teensy bit time consuming. That being said it makes enough for more than one meal, so it’s worth it!  It  also makes enough to freeze some shells for left-overs, as well! And I think they would also be great with a red sauce.

    I’d like to note that the ingredients in this recipe can easily be swapped out- diced mushrooms for the sausage to make it vegetarian, or you could also do half goat’s cheese/half ricotta instead of a full 15 oz of ricotta for a bit of zing. 

    Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce
    Serves 10
    Savory sausage stuffed shells in a creamy, flavorful butternut squash sauce. Tastes like fall!
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    Cook Time
    45 min
    Cook Time
    45 min
    Ingredients
    1. 1 butternut squash peeled and cubed
    2. 1 yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped
    3. 1 1/2 c coconut milk (you may also use half milk half vegetable broth)
    4. 1 lb Italian sausage ( or spiced ground sausage can be subbed)
    5. 3 cloves of garlic, minced
    6. 1 lb of jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente
    7. 15 oz. Ricotta
    8. 1 egg, lightly beaten
    9. 1/2 c shredded parmesn, divided in half (half for stuffing half for topping)
    10. 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
    11. 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
    12. olive oil
    13. salt and pepper to taste
    14. 1 bunch of fresh Sage
    15. 1 Tbsp butter
    16. 1 Tbsp Pepitas
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    2. Toss onion and cubed squash in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper.
    3. Spread evenly across baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, cook sausage and garlic and garlic powder on medium heat until browned.
    5. Place roasted squash and onion in a food processor and blend until a smooth puree forms.
    6. Add your milk and brown sugar into the puree slowly and blend until sauce is creamy.
    7. Pour the sauce mixture into the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish.
    8. In a large mixing bowl mix together the sausage, Ricotta, 1/4 c parm and the egg.
    9. Cook your shells until al dente and then rinse in cold water.
    10. Toss your shells in olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
    11. Fill cooled shells with a heaping spoon full of filling, and place on top of the squash mixture in the baking dish.
    12. Repeat until stuffing mixture is gone.
    13. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes covered.
    14. Uncover and sprinkle the remainder of parm on top of the shells evenly.
    15. Bake for another 15 minutes (you can even broil for a few minutes if you want them to be bubbly and browned on top).
    16. In a separate skillet, melt butter and let simmer until brown.
    17. Add your Julienned sage, and fry until crispy.
    18. Remove sage from butter and drain over paper towel.
    19. Remove baking dish from oven and top with crispy sage and Pepitas.
    20. Serve hot!
    21. *Add salt and pepper to filling and sauce to your liking.
    Notes
    1. You can change out chopped mushrooms for the sausage, cows milk or another milk of your choice for the coconut milk.
    2. I had 5 left over shells, and froze them. You could also serve with red sauce.
    Adapted from Rachel Schultz
    Adapted from Rachel Schultz
    Big Hair and Foodie Fare https://bighairandfoodiefare.com/
    You may have noticed I sliced up some of the left over pasta in some of the above photos. Honestly, I just included them in the set up because I thought it looked pretty but I saved them to give to the pups as little treats while I ate my dinner! 🙂

    Also, if you guys don’t have a  good food processor, I highly recommend snagging a Ninja- it’s so versatile and works like a dream! I’ve linked the one I use and a similar baking dish below (same brand, just different color):