My butternut squash orzo with sausage and kale is a cozy one pan meal idea. Hearty, balanced and super simple, it's the best for cold weather.
Cozy meal incoming! Now that the temperature is dropping, most nights I'm all for pasta, soups, and stews. Butternut squash orzo with sausage and kale is the newest recipe is my rotation because it's warming, comforting and a balanced meal. The secret to an extra flavorful dish is cooking the orzo in bone broth, which gives it a bonus protein boost too.
Orzo with sausage, kale and butternut squash is just one of those hearty, seasonal meals my family always comes back to. I hope yours loves it too!
Why This Recipe is Dietitian Approved
- Orange fall veggies. Butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene, which gets converted to vitamin A in our body. It's also packed with vitamin C and fibre. These nutrients are important in decreasing inflammation, supporting our immune system, and keeping our eyes healthy.
- One pan meal. Minimal dishes, minimal mess.
- Leafy greens. Did you know that one cup of kale has 68% of your vitamin K requirements? Orzo with kale is the way to go!
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Turkey sausage
- Red onion
- Garlic cloves
- Butternut squash
- Cherry tomatoes
- Dried sage
- Dried thyme
- Red pepper flakes
- Low sodium chicken broth (or bone broth)
- Dried orzo
- Kale
- Feta
Instructions
Heat an oven safe cast iron pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the sausage meat and cook until the meat is no longer pink in colour. Use a spatula to form a well in the center of the meat, add garlic and onions. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent in colour (about 3 minutes).
Add butternut squash, tomatoes, sage, thyme and red pepper flakes. Stir.
Reduce heat to low, add chicken broth and bring to a low boil.
Once boiling, add orzo, stir and cover. Allow orzo to simmer until fully cooked (about 10 minutes). You may need to stir periodically, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the orzo does not stick.
Stir in kale, 1 cup at a time until it wilts.
Top with feta cheese. To melt the cheese, broil at 500F for about 5 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use a gluten-free orzo like this one.
To make dairy-free: Swap for a dairy-free feta like this or use another dairy-free cheese of choice.
To make vegetarian: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Swap the sausages with chickpeas or a ground meat substitute of choice.
To make vegan: Try my vegan pasta bake!
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Orzo: Swap for another small pasta shape like ditalini.
- Turkey sausage: Use any type of sausage you like. You can also use regular ground meat, however you will need to adjust the seasoning as most sausage comes pre-seasoned.
- Kale: Swap for spinach.
- Chicken broth: Swap for vegetable broth or bone broth for more protein.
Equipment
Storage
Leftover butternut squash orzo can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
To freeze, pour into a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. The orzo can be defrosted in the fridge overnight. Reheat by adding contents to an oven safe dish, cover with tinfoil and bake for about 40 minutes at 375F.
Top Tip
To remove the casing from the sausage, use a sharp knife to gently cut a slit lengthwise from end to end.
When adding the kale, you will need to do it in batches. Add 1 cup at a time and stir until it wilts to help fit it all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although the casing is edible, I like removing the casing for pasta skillets like this one as it allows you to use the ground meat while still getting all the flavours of the sausage!
I love the bone broth from Kettle and Fire! It's lower in sodium and higher in protein making it a great addition to soups and skillet meals.
I used my 10.25"cast iron skillet!
Yes! You can throw it in frozen; no defrosting necessary. The best time saver, especially if you hate cutting squash like me!
More Cozy Meal Recipes
Bring on the hearty winter meals!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make butternut squash orzo, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash and Sausage Orzo with Kale (One Pan)
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb mild italian turkey sausages casing removed
- ½ red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 cup butternut squash diced (fresh or frozen) *
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth or bone broth
- 1.5 cups dried orzo
- 4 cups kale de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 cup feta crumbled
Instructions
- Heat an oven safe cast iron pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the sausage meat, using the back of a spatula to break the meat into small pieces,and cook until the meat is no longer pink in colour. Use a spatula to form a well in the center of the meat, add garlic and onions. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent in colour (about 3 minutes).
- Add butternut squash, tomatoes, sage, thyme and red pepper flakes. Stir.
- Reduce heat to low, add chicken broth and bring to a low boil.
- Once boiling, add orzo, stir and cover. Allow orzo to simmer until fully cooked (about 10 minutes). You may need to stir periodically, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the orzo does not stick.
- Stir in kale, 1 cup at a time until it wilts. Top with feta cheese. To melt the cheese, broil at 500F for about 5 minutes.
Megan says
Such a great flavour mix. I often find that orzo recipes get so mushy and bland but this was so flavourful! Loved it!
Katie says
One of my all time favorite recipes to make! Super easy and I love the flavor. The squash adds a nice sweetness.
Melissa says
This is so easy and soooo good!! It’s a great weeknight meal that comes together so fast with such great flavor. Usually my husband and son sub out the feta for Parmesan, but I love the feta!