Roasted Squash and Chicken-Apple Sausage
and kale salad with parmesan panko
Roasting butternut squash draws out its natural sweetness, making it a perfect pairing with savory, not-too-rich chicken sausage. A simply dressed salad with a zesty panko topping helps keep the whole meal balanced.
Smarts: Peeling and chopping raw squash can be time consuming and labor intensive, so we recommend doing it ahead of time. You can use pre-chopped squash to save time, but avoid frozen squash here - it tends to become mushy after roasting.
Ingredients
- Squash, butternut - 2 , peeled and cubed (about 2 1/2 - 3 lbs cubed; look for pre-cubed to save time)
- Shallots - 1 bulb , chopped
- Garlic - 4 cloves , chopped
- Brown sugar - 2 tsp
- Thyme, dried - 1 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 3/4 tsp
- Sage, dried (opt) - 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
- Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
- Sausage links, chicken-apple - 1 lb , cut into 2" / 5 cm diagonal slices (sub any raw or precooked sausage links)
- Garlic - 1 clove , minced or pressed
- Cheese, parmesan - 2 Tbsp , shredded or grated
- Kale - 5 oz , stems removed and leaves chopped or torn
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp
- Panko breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
- Salt - 1/4 tsp
- Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
- Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp
Prep
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Butternut squash - (This makes enough for 2 nights.) Slice the top and bottom off the squash, then slice in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and use a sharp knife to remove the peel. Cut into large cubes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Shallots / Garlic (both portions) / Parmesan - Prep as directed and store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Kale - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating before continuing with prep.) Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
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Sausage - Slice sausage. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Make
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Heat oven to 400 F / 204 C degrees and set out two baking sheets. Situate oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Toss together squash cubes, shallots, garlic (portion for squash), brown sugar, thyme, salt (portion for squash), sage (if using), black pepper (portion for squash), and cooking oil. Spread out onto the first baking sheet in an even layer. Place on the lower oven rack and roast until squash is tender and lightly browned in places, shaking the pan halfway through cooking, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Brush the second baking sheet with some cooking oil and spread sausage pieces over it in an even layer. Transfer sausage to the upper oven rack and roast until cooked through and browned, ~15 minutes, turning once about halfway through cooking.
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While squash and sausage roast, make parmesan panko. Heat a nonstick skillet with first portion of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic (portion for salad) to heated oil and saute until fragrant and golden, ~2 minutes. Add panko to the pan and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crisp, ~2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, stir in parmesan, salt (portion for salad), and pepper (portion for salad).
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In a large serving or mixing bowl, whisk together second portion of olive oil and lemon juice (portion for salad), along with some salt and pepper. Add kale to the bowl. Use your hands to gently squeeze and “massage” the kale with the dressing (this breaks up the tougher plant fibers and makes the kale more tender). Taste and add more lemon juice, olive oil, salt, or pepper, if needed.
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When squash and sausage are done, toss squash with lemon juice (portion for squash) and season to taste with some additional salt and pepper if needed. Set aside half of the squash for Tuesday’s meal.
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Just before serving, toss panko mixture into salad (you can also serve the panko on the side and let everyone spoon it over their salad at the table).
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Divide squash and sausage among serving plates. Serve with kale salad on the side. Enjoy!
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