Creamy Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken Sausage (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

**For me this dish is totally guilt free! I use to love the creamy texture and taste of alfredo sauce, but I hated how it made me feel after I ate it. This is such a great alternative to the typical “alfredo” recipe and is completely dairy free! I know what you’re probably thinking…”How creamy can this dish be without any milk/cream/cheese?” Well, let me tell you the butternut squash totally does the trick! You will be shocked at how creamy and awesome the flavors are when it all comes together.

The chicken sausage is the perfect combination of spicy & sweet, and it compliments the sauce so well! The options are endless with this dish….add in any choice of meat or don’t and make it a vegan option….add in some additional cooked veggies…. or even try it over some easy zucchini noodles to get even more veggies in during this lovely dinner time special!**

Serving Size: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

-gluten-free pasta or regular if not GF
-1 pound of chicken sausage w/casing removed (1/2 spicy, 1/2 regular)
-sauteed baby kale and baby spinach (about 2 cups)

Butternut Squash “Alfredo” Sauce:

-1 butternut squash (peeled, seeded, halved, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
-1/2 large onion (chopped)
-4 garlic cloves (chopped)
-salt and pepper to taste
-crushed red pepper flakes **optional
-2 cups vegetable broth

Directions: 

1. Peel your butternut squash and cut into each 1/2 inch cubes. Chop up your onions and garlic as well.
2. Place the butternut squash, onions, and garlic in a large skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add some salt and pepper and crushed red pepper if you wish.
3. Cook until the onions are translucent in color. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for about 10-15 minutes or until some of the water has been reduced and the squash is cooked through.
4. While the sauce is cooking, start to cook your chicken sausage and pasta.Make sure to remove the casing from the sausage BEFORE cooking.
5. Put the mixture in either a blender or food processor and some additional seasoning and then blend until completely smooth.
6. Mix the sauce into the pasta and chicken sausage for a few minutes and until it is all well incorporated. If you aren’t dairy free, you can add a bit of parmesan cheese at this point or top it off with when serving.
7. Enjoy! 🙂