Ummm hi, I just made you the coziest fall-in-a-pan dinner that will warm your soul and make your house smell incredible.
This one pan butternut squash orzo is like one big bowl of comfort thanks to the savory sausage, tender, sweet squash, and beautiful, sage-infused brown butter (yeah, we’re fancy). It gets a lovely brightness from lemon juice and zest, and a little tang from creamy, melty goat cheese that just works.
You’ll literally cook everything in one skillet or braiser, which means more time to enjoy dinner with your family or friends and less time worrying about a pile of dishes. This might just be your new go-to for the colder months!
Ingredients in this brown butter sage orzo
This meal is truly restaurant-worthy, but made with simple ingredients that give it tons of delicious flavors and textures! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sausage: feel free to use mild or spicy Italian sausage. Chicken or pork will both work well.
- Produce: you’ll need fresh garlic, a shallot, fresh sage leaves, cubed butternut squash, spinach, and fresh lemon juice.
- Butter: oh yes, we’re browning the butter for extra cozy flavor. You’ll infuse the butter with sage, then use it to toast the orzo and cook down the veggies.
- Orzo: the lovely base of the recipe! I love using this short pasta shape in one pan meals because it has such a great, tender texture. You’ll toast it in the butter, then simmer it in dry white wine, low-sodium chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
- For the mix-ins: after baking the meal, you’ll stir in goat cheese with the spinach and lemon juice.
- To garnish: I like to top the pan with lemon zest, more goat cheese crumbles, red pepper flakes, and toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts.
Customize your orzo
There are a few very simple ways you can make this sausage and butternut squash orzo your own:
- Try it vegetarian: simply swap a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas or white beans in for the sausage and add them in with the butternut squash. Then be sure to use low-sodium vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Go gluten-free: use gluten-free orzo. I suggest the Jovial Foods brand for best results.
- Keep it nut-free: omit the pine nuts or walnuts on top!
- Pick your cheese: I love the tang of goat cheese in this recipe, but you could try feta cheese or freshly grated parmesan cheese for a more savory, salty flavor!
Try a fall veggie swap
This fall-inspired orzo would also be delicious with cubed, fresh pumpkin or sweet potato! Simply swap in the same amount of either one for the butternut squash, and cook as directed.
Make this meal kid-friendly
If you’re serving kiddos, feel free to swap the wine for more low-sodium chicken broth — easy! Then, feel free to omit the red pepper flakes on top.
Looking for another protein option?
You can really feel free to mix in any protein you have on hand! This dish would be great with:
- Cooked, sliced chicken sausage
- Cooked, cubed, or shredded chicken (use up leftovers or a rotisserie chicken)
- Ground turkey, chicken, or beef
One pan brown butter sage orzo in 5 steps
- Cook the sausage. Start by cooking your sausage in a large, oven-safe pot or braiser. Transfer it to a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
- Brown the butter. In the same pan, melt the butter and add the fresh sage leaves. Stir consistently as the butter browns, then stir in the shallot and garlic.
- Assemble the skillet. Stir the orzo into the sage-infused butter to toast it, then deglaze with white wine. Fold in the broth, squash, seasonings, and sausage, then bring everything to a simmer.
- Bake it up. Cover your pan, then bake it up! Once the orzo is tender, remove the pan from the oven and stir in the goat cheese and spinach until the cheese melts. Then stir in the lemon juice.
- Garnish & serve. Top the pan with lemon zest, extra cheese, nuts, and red pepper flakes (if you’d like). Then serve and devour!
How to toast nuts
If you want to add the toasted nuts to your orzo, here’s how to toast them:
- Stovetop method: Add pine nuts or chopped walnuts to a pan and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 2-5 minutes until almonds are slightly golden brown. Remove from heat and cool before topping your pan.
- Oven method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant, stirring once halfway through baking. Watch carefully so that the nuts do not burn!
Storing tips
Add any leftover orzo to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Simply reheat in a microwave-safe dish.
Tools you’ll need
Get all of my fav kitchen tools here!
More one pan meals you’ll love
- One Pan White Wine Chicken Sausage White Bean Bake
- One Pan Baked Pesto Orzo with Chicken Meatballs
- Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Spicy Sausage, Butternut Squash & Hot Honey
- One Pan Lightened Up Hamburger Helper
- Sheet Pan Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower
Get all of my one pan meals here!
I hope you love this brown butter sage orzo recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Brown Butter Sage Orzo with Spicy Sausage & Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- Sausage
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound uncooked spicy (or mild) Italian chicken or pork sausage, casings removed
- Orzo
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 20 sage leaves, chopped
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (12 ounces) dried orzo
- ½ cup dry white wine*
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 to 4 cups cubed butternut squash (½ inch cubes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Mix-ins
- 6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 3 cups roughly chopped spinach
- Juice from 1 medium lemon (reserve the zest)
- Garnish
- Zest from 1 medium lemon
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the sausage: Place a large oven-safe 3½-quart braiser or oven-safe large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sausage, break apart into bite-sized chunks with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned, fully cooked and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean.
- Brown the butter: In the same large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. As soon as it begins to melt, add in the sage to infuse the butter with flavor, and use a wooden spoon to stir constantly; the butter will begin to crackle, then foam. After a few minutes, the butter will begin to turn a golden amber color. As soon as the butter turns brown and gives off a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes, immediately reduce heat to low so you do not burn the butter. Stir in the shallot and garlic and cook over low heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add orzo and broth: Immediately stir in the orzo and toast in the pan for 1 minute to develop flavor. Stir in the white wine and allow the pan to deglaze a bit and infuse the orzo with delicious flavor, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then immediately add in the broth, butternut squash, salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the cooked sausage and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
- Bake: Cover, then transfer the pan to the oven, and bake, until orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the goat cheese and spinach until the cheese is melted into the orzo and spinach wilts, 1 minute. Finish off with the juice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as necessary.
- Serve: Top with lemon zest, extra goat cheese crumbles and toasted nuts, if desired. Great with some extra red pepper flakes on top, too!
Recipe Notes
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Quick question, can I swap dried or ground sage for fresh sage leaves? If so, how much? Thanks so much, this looks incredible and I’ll be trying it asap!
I can’t wait to try this when I go to visit my daughter next week! I appreciate that you offered so many protein options—plus the sweet potato for butternut squash swap makes it good for us as we always have sweet potato on hand.