Brown Butter Sage Orzo with Spicy Sausage & Butternut Squash
Creamy one pan butternut squash orzo with rich, sage-infused brown butter, spicy sausage, and tangy goat cheese. This sweet and savory orzo recipe is filled with cozy fall flavors, plus an extra boost of veggies from spinach! A beautiful weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Servings 6 servings
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!
Notes
*Feel free to swap the wine for more chicken broth if you'd like.
To make vegetarian: Swap a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas or white beans in for the sausage and simply add them in with the butternut squash in step 4. Then be sure to use low-sodium vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
To make 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.
See the full post for tips, tricks, and more ways to customize this recipe!