Warming butternut squash and sausage casserole, comforting and full of flavor. A nourishing, delicious meal ready in less than one hour.

Butternut squash is my favorite sort of squash; I cook it every couple of weeks, every autumn and winter. Try these Butternut Squash Fritters or this velvety Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup, they are all delicious recipes.
Why will you love this casserole recipe?
- The perfect combination of flavors and textures will amaze you; you will not be able to stop filling your plate over and over again. The squash is soft and sweet, the sausage spicy, the beans buttery and comforting. The brown sugar and vinegar make the dish slightly sweet and sour.
- Easy to make: The “hardest” part is peeling and chopping the squash; otherwise, all you have to do is saute and mix a few ingredients, the oven will do the rest.
- Quick: Considering that it is a casserole, dinner will be ready in less than one hour.
- One-pan dish: All you need is a large cast-iron skillet or another oven-safe pan.
Recipe ingredients
- Butternut squash:
- Substitutions: I often use Hokkaido pumpkin (or red Kuri squash), which is the best-flavored pumpkin sort. However, Hokkaido needs less time in the oven, so make sure to check a bit earlier.
- You could also sub the squash with sweet potatoes; they have a similar texture and taste sweet and delicious as well.
- Sausage: You will need one or two pork sausages, depending on size. I tend to use cabanossi or chorizo; they are both excellent. Chorizo will make the dish spicier. If using chorizo, choose the cured (hard) Spanish sort.
- Beans: White beans from a can. Cannellini, large white beans, or any other sort of white beans. You can use the same amount (7 oz/ 200 g) of beans that you cooked yourself.
- Vegetables: Onions, garlic, canned chopped tomatoes.
- Herbs: bay leaves, fresh parsley.
- Other ingredients: butter, olive oil, vegetable or chicken stock, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Recipe steps
- Heat oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare squash: Peel it and cut it into cubes (about 0.5 inch/ 2 cm).
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Finely chop onion and garlic, chop the sausage, drain the beans.
- Saute: Heat butter and oil in a large skillet or another oven-safe pan. Saute onions until translucent, 3-4 minutes (1).
- Add sausage and garlic, cook on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes (2).
- Add squash and all the other ingredients to the sausage mixture. Mix well to combine and bring to a boil (3).
- Carefully transfer the pan into the preheated oven.
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the squash cubes are soft. Test by piercing them with a fork (4).
- Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Tips:
- Chorizo tends to release a lot of fat when cooked in the pan. If using it, reduce the amount of fat you add to the pan. You will not have this problem if you use cabanossi.
- When I have it, I use fresh sage as well. Chop and add it to the pan together with the butternut squash.
FAQ
Saute the ingredients in a large saute pan, then transfer them to a casserole dish before cooking in the oven.
I’ve cooked this dish with boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well, and it was great! Cut the meat into relatively large pieces and cook the dish as instructed.
Or use ground beef or ground turkey.
Leave out the sausage and use more beans to make up for it.
Crusty white bread, sourdough bread, or homemade dinner rolls. I also make a green salad with yogurt dressing most of the time. Otherwise, try our Broccoli and Pea Salad or cooked veggies, like cauliflower, broccoli, peas, carrots, and so on.
Refrigerator: They keep well in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.
Reheat in the pan before serving. Stir gently to avoid crushing the squash.
Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit/ 180 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes or until hot.
More butternut squash recipes:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Slices
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash - Two Ways
- Butternut Squash Lasagna with Lentils
- Oven Roasted Turkey Thighs with Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs butternut squash 900 g, Note 1
- 2 medium onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 can cannellini beans about 7 oz/ 200 g when drained (Note 2)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 400 g/ 14 oz
- 7 oz pork sausage cured (hard), 200 g (Note 3,4)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 cup ml/ 1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock, 250 ml
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves Note 5
- fine sea salt or Kosher
- ground black pepper
- small bunch of parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare ingredients: Peel and cut butternut squash into 0.5 inch/ 2 cm cubes. Chop the onions and the garlic cloves, slice the sausage. Drain the beans.
- Stovetop: Heat the butter and the olive oil in a large cast-iron pan or another ovenproof pan. Saute onions until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add sausage and garlic, cook on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes. Add the squash cubes, vinegar, chopped tomatoes, beans, stock, sugar, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
- Oven: Place the pan in the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the squash is soft. Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve: Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Substitutions: I often use Hokkaido pumpkin (or red Kuri squash), which is the best-flavored pumpkin sort. However, Hokkaido needs less time in the oven, so make sure to check a bit earlier.
You could also sub the squash with sweet potatoes; they have a similar texture and taste sweet and delicious as well. - White beans from a can or the same amount of beans that you cooked yourself.
- I use cabanossi or chorizo most of the time. Chorizo will make the dish spicier. If using chorizo, choose the Spanish sort, which is cured (hard).
- Chorizo tends to release a lot of fat when cooked in the pan. In this case, reduce the amount of fat you use. You will not have this problem if you use cabanossi.
- When I have it, I use fresh sage as well. Finely chop 2-3 sage leaves and add them to the pan together with the butternut squash.
mjskit says
Oh I love winter squash with sausage and this stew is perfect for cold weather. I'm like you...when it's cold outside, I stay inside and do things at home. After having to go to work every day for over30 years, it's nice to have the option to stay home. 🙂
Adina says
I am also a home person in winter, I could almost say I'm hibernating when it's really cold. Having to go outside when the temperature is under freezing point feels like a punishment.