Chicken & Apple Sausage Pasta with Butternut Squash

Chicken & Apple Sausage Pasta with Butternut Squash! Butternut squash, apple chicken sausage and rigatoni pasta are tossed together in this easy, cheesy dish for a satisfying weeknight dinner that comes together in no time at all. This 5 ingredient chicken sausage pasta recipe will quickly become a fall favorite! 

This five ingredient creamy butternut squash chicken sausage pasta is cozy, savory and just a little sweet thanks to roasted butternut squash and apple chicken sausage. Rigatoni, half & half and cheese bring everything together in a simple sauce that feels comforting without requiring a long ingredient list.

With just five main ingredients, it’s an easy fall dinner that works just as well for a busy weeknight as it does for casual entertaining. I especially love the contrast between the caramelized squash and browned sausage — it gives this otherwise simple pasta much more flavor than you’d expect.

The Short & Sweet

• The Concept: Rigatoni tossed with roasted butternut squash, browned apple chicken sausage and a simple creamy cheese sauce.
• Why It’s Worth Making: It delivers cozy fall flavor with only five main ingredients, and roasting the squash gives the dish extra depth without much additional effort.
• Best For: Easy fall dinners, casual entertaining, cozy weeknights or a low-effort meal that still feels seasonal.
• Prep Ahead? Yes. Roast the squash and brown the sausage up to 1 day ahead, then refrigerate them separately. Cook the pasta and finish the sauce just before serving.
• Before You Start: Save about ½ cup of pasta water before draining the rigatoni. You may not need it, but it’s the easiest way to loosen the sauce and bring everything together if it gets too thick or doesn’t want to emulsify.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Only five main ingredients: Butternut squash, chicken apple sausage, rigatoni, half & half and cheese do most of the work.
• Sweet and savory fall flavor: The apple sausage and caramelized squash complement each other without making the dish overly sweet.
• Easy to customize: Swap the pasta shape, sausage or vegetables depending on what you have on hand.
• Great for weeknights: Most of the cooking happens while the squash roasts and the pasta boils.

Ingredients

• Butternut squash
• Chicken apple sausage
• Rigatoni
• Half & half
• Italian cheese blend
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

Ingredient Notes

• Butternut squash: Fresh, pre-cut or frozen squash will all work. I usually reach for frozen or pre-cut squash because it saves the time and effort of peeling and chopping a whole squash.
• Chicken apple sausage: The slightly sweet apple flavor pairs especially well with butternut squash. Any fully cooked chicken sausage can work, but the apple variety gives this pasta its distinctive fall flavor.
• Rigatoni: Its wide tubes catch the creamy sauce and bits of sausage and squash. Penne, cavatappi, farfalle or rotini are good substitutes.
• Half & half: Just enough to create a creamy sauce without making the pasta overly rich. Milk works for a lighter version, while heavy cream creates a richer sauce.
• Italian cheese blend: Adds saltiness and helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Freshly grated is always best as the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese can affect the texture of the sauce, but in a pinch, either works. Parmesan is also a great option if that’s what you have.

Instructions

You will love how simple this pasta is to whip up! Here’s how I do it:

First, roast the butternut squash. (Be sure to see my expert, TIME-SAVING tips below if you really want to make the process speedy.)

While the butternut squash is cooking, make the pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken apple sausage. Continue to stir until the sausage is nicely browned — those brown bits add a ton of flavor!

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cooked, drained butternut squash and rigatoni to the pan and give it a good stir to combine. (You may want to save about 1/2 cup of pasta water. This can help create a velvety sauce if you have any trouble with it coming together.)

Add half and half and cheese; this will create the sauce for your pasta. I didn’t have any issues with the sauce not saucing, but as I mentioned above, adding a bit of leftover pasta water can help bring it together and create the creamy texture you’re looking for. Continue to stir until all the pasta is coated.

Sprinkle extra cheese on top before serving if you’d like!

Dianna’s Tips

• Brown the sausage well. Those golden edges add savory flavor and help balance the sweetness of the squash and apple sausage.
• Don’t forget the pasta water. Even if you don’t end up using it, reserve some before draining. A splash can loosen the sauce and help the cheese and half & half coat the pasta more evenly.
• Roast the squash in a single layer. Crowding the pan encourages steaming instead of browning.
• Use fully cooked sausage. This recipe is written for pre-cooked chicken sausage, so you’re really just browning and heating it through.
• Add the dairy over lower heat. Reducing the heat before adding the half & half and cheese helps keep the sauce smooth.

Best Pasta for This Recipe

As I mentioned above, rigatoni is a great pasta to use if you want a large pasta shape that will hold on to lots of sauce or ingredients in those hollow tubes. The brand I purchased took about 15 minutes to cook to al dente, but make sure to check the packaging of your rigatoni as cook times may vary. 

If you can’t find or don’t like rigatoni, you can use any pasta shape in this dish! Penne is another good option, but you can also use a long pasta shape like spaghetti or linguine, or even a short shape like farfalle or rotini. Cavatappi, the corkscrew-like pasta shape I use in this mouthwatering Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (which is another fabulous fall entertaining recipe!) is also a solid choice!

Feel free to sub in gluten-free pasta if that’s your preference, or swap out a hearty grain like farro for something a little different.

Make Ahead

• Roast the butternut squash and brown the chicken sausage up to 1 day ahead. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
• When you’re ready to serve, cook the pasta and finish the dish as directed.
• I don’t recommend fully assembling the pasta too far in advance because the sauce thickens as it sits and the pasta will continue to absorb it.

Storage & Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of milk or half & half as it warms to loosen the sauce and restore some of its creaminess.
• This pasta is best enjoyed fresh because the sauce naturally thickens as it sits.

Serve It in Style

For easy fall entertaining, transfer the pasta to a wide, shallow serving bowl and finish with a little freshly grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper and a few thyme leaves.

Serve it family-style with a crisp green salad and warm bread or Garlic Crostini, or go all-out on the butternut squash theme and pair it with Creamy Butternut Squash Soup for an especially cozy autumn menu. If you’re building a larger fall spread, Autumn Harvest Salad with Warm Goat Cheese would also bring a fresh, tangy contrast to the creamy pasta.

Expert Tips

You can use any type of butternut squash in this dish: Fresh squash broken down and cut into small chunks, pre-cut pieces found in the produce aisle that are ready for cooking, or even frozen butternut squash.

I opted for frozen to keep this dish simple — butternut squash is one of the only veggies I always buy prepared so that I don’t have to deal with peeling the tough skin and slicing through the hard flesh. {I’ve almost lost a finger or two more than once, and I don’t care to re-live those moments!}

How to Cook Butternut Squash

To cook frozen butternut squash, you can simply line a sheet pan with foil, toss it with a bit of olive oil and salt and roast at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes depending on how large the pieces are. I prefer roasting it for this pasta because those browned, caramelized edges add much more flavor.

If you don’t like the idea of turning on the oven, you can also prepare the squash on the stovetop in a large skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, then add the butternut squash and cover with a lid to help it cook through. Toss every so often until it is browned.

I prefer roasting because I think those brown bits impart a lot of flavor to the dish, but on a busy weeknight, do what works best for you! 

Substitutions & Variations

Feel free to make these substitutions for your preferences and different dietary needs:

• Variations:
  • Add some greens! Sauteed spinach or roasted vegetables such as zucchini, onions, Brussels sprouts or broccoli are all good choices.
  • Use ground sausage or chicken or pork sausage links in different flavor varieties.
  • Use your favorite jarred cream sauce instead of half & half and cheese.
• Make it vegan: Use a vegan sausage in place of the chicken sausage. Swap out plain, unsweetened non-dairy creamer in place of the half and half. Use vegan “cheese” shreds or a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast in place of the cheese.
• Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta in place of regular rigatoni.

FAQs

What’s the best substitute for half & half?
Milk works well for a lighter sauce. For a richer, more indulgent version, you can use heavy cream. Just keep the heat low so the sauce stays smooth.

How do I keep the sauce from getting too thick?
If the sauce tightens up, add a splash of pasta water, milk, or half & half while tossing everything together. This helps create a silky, glossy finish.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?
This dish is best enjoyed fresh. The creamy sauce can change texture once frozen and reheated. If you want to prep ahead, freeze just the roasted squash and cooked sausage, then assemble fresh.

Other Chicken Sausage Recipes 

Looking for other easy weeknight meals using chicken sausage? Look no further! These are all amazing options that the whole family will enjoy: 

• Tuscan Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage & Vegetables – This one pan meal can’t get much easier! Chicken sausage and veggies are tossed with a deliciously fragrant vinaigrette and baked to perfection in no time at all. 
• Glazed Apple Sausage & Sweet Potato Kabobs – This one pan meal can’t get much easier! Chicken sausage and veggies are tossed with a deliciously fragrant vinaigrette and baked to perfection in no time at all. 
• Creamy Mushroom & Chicken Sausage Florentine Pasta – A perfect weekday meal, bow tie pasta is tossed in a rich, cheesy sauce with browned chicken sausage, sauteed mushrooms and spinach. 
• Cuban-Inspired Sausage & Rice Skillet – This slightly modernized take on a classic Cuban comfort food is the type of meal that becomes a staple when you’re looking for easy weeknight dinner ideas! It’s a one skillet meal that will appear on the menu again and again.