Tortellini with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, Gruyere, and Optional Sausage
This easy and cheesy (yet still relatively light) one-dish dinner is the perfect use for the winter squash that's so plentiful right now. Nutty Gruyere cheese complements roasted butternut squash, earthy mushrooms, and fresh tortellini. Make the meat-eaters happy with a little crumbled sweet Italian sausage in theirs.
Ingredients
4cupsdiced butternut squash1/2-inch dice (about a 1 1/2 pound squash)
8ounceswhite button mushroomssliced
1/4cupfresh sage leaveschopped
2tablespoonsolive oil
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
Couple turnsor a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1poundfresh cheese-filled tortellini
2 1/2cupsshredded Gruyere cheesedivided
If adding sausage to half:
1/2poundsweet Italian sausagebrowned and drained
If adding sausage to all:
1/2poundsweet Italian sausagebrowned and drained
Instructions
Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, mushrooms, and sage with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread in a single layer on one or two rimmed baking sheets and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until butternut squash is tender and some sides are golden brown.
While the squash is baking, cook the tortellini according to package directions (save the water you used to cook the pasta, you'll need that in a minute!) and brown the sausage, if using.
Add tortellini to a large pasta bowl or, if creating a vegetarian half and a meaty half, divide the tortellini between two medium bowls. Top with butternut squash (again divide evenly between the two bowls if making two versions) and top one half or all with sausage, if using.
Sprinkle two cups of the Gruyere on top and add a couple of tablespoons of pasta water. Toss gently until cheese is melted and pasta is coated. You may need to add another tablespoon or two of the pasta water.
Pass the remaining cheese at the table for sprinkling over individual servings.
Notes
For convenience, many stores carry already peeled and diced butternut squash in their refrigerated produce sections or with the frozen vegetables. Either will work, or if you start with a whole butternut squash, here are some tips on how to peel and cut it.Adapted from Real Simple