This Butternut Sausage Bake with Kale and Tomato Cream is a deliciously healthy, flavorful, and hearty meal that’s dairy free, gluten free, grain free, sugar free, Paleo, and Whole30 friendly! Roasted butternut squash is baked with Italian sausage, kale and a tomato cream sauce for the ultimate in savory comfort food.
Definitely a savory food week here on the blog! We have yesterday’s bacon and buffalo burgers, Tuesday’s sweet potato crusted quiche, and now today’s recipe for my new favorite meal – ever (again I’m biased since it’s fresh on my mind!) – this Paleo Butternut Sausage Bake with Kale and Tomato Cream Sauce. That’s a long title. I should probably shorten that, but, how will you know what awaits?
There’s a story behind this recipe, and, though I know you’re sick of hearing about it, it involves my long-time love for all things involving sausage, going back way before “paleo” was a trendy diet term.
It goes back to the first “real meal” I ever cooked. You know, the one that makes you feel like a grown up even though you’re cooking out of your parents’ refrigerator, and maybe even left your mom the leftover mess to clean up. Don’t worry, I’m paying for it now with every cereal-crunching step on my kitchen floor. But anyway, yes, I had a favorite meal to cook that involved sausage and tomato cream sauce before I was paleo, a runner, or a momma.
That recipe involved bow-tie pasta though, which clearly we do not speak of now. It also wasn’t actually a “bake”, but now I’m going on a tangent. If anyone is interested in the pasta recipe I believe it’s still on going strong on allrecipes after at least 15 years or so!
Anyway, I decided I needed to make a paleo version of that recipe that took the elements I loved about it (sausage, tomato cream sauce) and merge them with a more recent favorite – butternut squash. Roasted butternut squash, to be specific. I can’t get enough of it lately!
So this recipe became sort of a cross between the creamy sausage pasta of another lifetime, and my butternut sausage holiday stuffing. If there’s one thing I learned from that stuffing, it’s that you can’t go wrong with butternut squash and sausage baked together. Just one egg to bind, and delicious magic follows.
I also tossed in some healthy kale too, because eating kale makes us feel more productive and confident in our life decisions, somehow. But really, kale has this effect on us and I’m pretty sure there’s data on that somewhere. It also happens to complement the other ingredients perfectly, and crisp up just a bit on top when baked. I have no shame in saying that I truly heart kale 🙂
I hope you’re enjoying all the savory this week, because things will get just a tad sweeter next week after a super successful baking session earlier today.
But that’s quite enough, we need to focus on our dinner first before thinking about dessert! If you promise to make this at least once, you can have a treat after your bath. Huh? Oops, got confused and went into mom-mode. As a mom these things just slip out at random times to the wrong audience.
I still want you to make this though! Are you ready for savory, healthy comfort food at it’s finest? I certainly am, so let’s get on with this warming, comfy butternut sausage bake!
Butternut Sausage Bake {Paleo}
Paleo Butternut Sausage Bake with Kale
Ingredients
- 3 and 1/2 cups small-cubed butternut squash
- 1 tbsp light flavored olive oil for roasting
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt for roasting
- 1 lb Italian pork sausage* - casings removed
- 1-2 tsp light flavored olive oil
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes**
- 1/2 med onion chopped
- 1/2 cup of your favorite marinara sauce no sugar added - I love Raos
- 1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale
- 1 egg whisked
- fine grain sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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First, roast your butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and, in a large bowl, toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt.
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On a large baking sheet - or 2 if needed - lined with parchment paper, spread out the butternut squash cubes in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring in the middle, until soft and toasty brown.
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While the butternut squash roasts, heat a large cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp olive oil.
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Crumble the sausage into the pan, and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until 75 percent browned.
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Once the sausage is nearly browned, add the chopped onion and continue to cook until the onion is soft and the sausage is fully browned.
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Next, add the marinara sauce and coconut milk and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Add the kale to the skillet and stir into the mixture to soften. Once the kale is soft, remove skillet from heat.
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Once the butternut squash is roasted, remove from oven and toss in with the sausage mixture. If using an oven proof skillet, you will bake everything in it. If not, transfer the mixture to a well greased baking dish before proceeding.
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Add the whisked egg to the mixture and gently toss to combine. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until toasty browned and set.
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Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Use locally made preferably, and free of added sugar for Whole30 compliant
**Optional but recommended. Adjust amount to suit your preference
What was the first full-on meal you ever cooked and took pride in?
Does eating (and enjoying) kale = higher self-esteem and increased confidence? I’m sort of kidding, but sort of not 😉
I’m thinking the first real meal I cooked on my own was stuffed peppers, before that was things like pasta and french fries. I have totally fallen off the kale bandwagon over the past few months, maybe because I overdid it a bit back when there was all the initial hype about it? This recipe looks great, but I may need to figure out a way to substitute the sausage, maybe with bacon?
I think another ground meat would work well for the sausage! You could also do chopped up chicken and that would be good too 🙂
I wonder if the sausage part of this dish would get my son to eat butternut squash! I just cut up a butternut but he rarely eats it. Sometimes he takes a piece but most of the time, not! I don’t even understand, it’s so good! I don’t remember the first meal I made, I am more of a baker. I am sitting here thinking about it and I am clueless!
Yum-ilicious! I don’t think I actually remember the first meal I ever cooked. I’m going to have to think about that one. It’s called old age!
Haha! Funny that I remember these things 🙂
I used to bake my mom’s birthday cakes…. and I did lots of things from the box. I remember that Alex and I made Valentine’s Day dinner (pork chops with red wine reduction) and that felt like one of the earlier, more official dinners I made.
That’s definitely a nice grown-up meal 🙂
I love the butternut and sausage combo! The first real meal I ever cooked was turkey and black bean tacos, probably when I was 17. I baked a lot from a mix before that, but it was the first time I made an actual meal from start to finish.
Sounds like a pretty advanced first meal 🙂 Tacos were always fun to put together.
First recipes I made came from Rachel Ray (Stuffed peppers), the food network magazine (a quinoa dish), and then my Nintento DS (a killer risotto!) I was badass 😉
I used to love Rachel Ray and still have 2 of her books 🙂
great idea! i need some whole 30 dishes for my clients. Yours are perfect!
Thanks Lindsay!
Looks scrumptious! In my opinion, some kale in olive oil makes every savory dish just a bit better 🙂
Agree, I love the addition of cooked greens in almost anything 🙂
I love taking recipes that I loved pre-paleo and making them healthy! This looks so stinkin good. It’s some of my favorite ingredients and I’m always good with savory!
Thanks! I still have many I need to reinvent paleo 🙂
Great combo of flavors! I tend to love anything that has tomato sauce on it (especially when there’s a creamy element as well).
Agree, tomato cream sauce for the win 🙂
This sounds delicious! Tomato, sausage and crispy kale…yes,please!
Thanks Jen!
I love the addition of kale although I’d probably have to sneak in some bowtie pasta. You understand. 🙂
I do, and that would surely be delicious 🙂
This looks amazing! I’m planning on doing the Whole 30 so am scouring your blog for recipes! 🙂
Thanks Christine! There are plenty on here, I still cook mostly whole30 style even though I haven’t “officially” done it for 2 years.
Yummy! I love the addition of the butternut squash. This looks so easy and would be a great meal to make during the week!
Thanks! It’s great for leftovers too 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m loving all the ingredients here. It looks so freezable!
Definitely freezable and perfect for leftovers 🙂
So, this is pretty much as delicious as it can get!!!! I have never eaten or used sausage before and WOW!!! I love tomato cream sauce , but would never eat it in the past , because well… it’s tomato cream sauce. Anyway, I’m not eating dairy now , so coconut is an amazing substitute. You don’t even taste it! This is just so flavorful, I am assuming it’s the sausage. I am lucky to have access to a farm that makes their own sausage every week from 100 percent pastured pigs , so I know I will be making this on a regular rotation. Again, such a great recipe. You have a lovely blog and I look forward to getting your posts! Keep up the good work.
This really is one of my favorites too – and I agree it’s pretty amazing that you don’t taste the coconut – just creamy goodness! Also a little jealous you have that amazing sausage nearby since I’m always trying to hunt down good local sausage. So happy to hear you like this!
Does the coconut milk leave any hint of coconut flavor at all? I know sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
I didn’t think so and my husband didn’t notice either – for this recipe I believe the tomato and spices take over and the coconut milk only provides a creaminess.
Michele, this is my favorite recipe in the 8 months or so I’ve been learning to cook paleo. I used Mulay’s ‘KIller Hot’ sausages (didn’t use the red pepper flakes) and a delicata squash to halve the recipe. It was soooo good. Great combination of flavors and will make a regular size batch next time for sure.
That makes me so happy to hear! I bet it’s fabulous with delicata, too. Glad you liked it!
I’m a little late to this recipe, but I wanted to let you know that this meal is AHMAYZING! It surprised me just how good it is! even my dad enjoyed it (and said so!) which is huge. Thanks for the great recipe!
Just discovered this recipe. Made it tonight and loved it. Such wonderful flavor! Thank you for sharing…this will be a staple on my meal planning rotation this fall.
I love this one too! So happy it worked out 🙂
I just made this for dinner tonight and it is one of my favorites already. It is delicious!
Thank you, thank you!
This sounds wonderful. Can you make it without the egg? I have an allergy.
Yup, the egg is just for binding so no problem at all 🙂
I just discovered this recipe and it is a new fav and staple in our household. Wholly crap. So so so good. I made a double batch as part of this weeks meal prep. Thanks for this rocking recipe.
This dish is delish!!! Such a great combination and never would have thought so!!
LOVE this recipe! I have made this many times, and it is a family favorite. We are a farming family, so we have tons of butternut squash in the fall. Husband and kids are avid hunters as well, so this is almost always made using wild boar sausage. I double the egg (we have chickens, too, so I’m always looking for ways to use up our eggs!) and add about a tablespoon of the coconut milk to the whisked egg. Delicious!!
Sounds great, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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This was incredible! I’m trying to “shop my kitchen” this week and I had some Italian sausage, a butternut squash that needed to be used, and some oldish kale. This recipe used all those! I just used a can of diced tomatoes with some extra spices thrown in since I didn’t have marinara sauce. This will definitely go in my regular rotation of meals! Thank you!
So great!
My husband and I loved this! Very filling.
Curious what sausage you use?
Made this with chicken sausage and left out the egg and last 30 minutes in cast iron pan in the oven..confused on to do it ?. I was hungry too. My hubby and 4 year old son loved it. My 7 years old daughter didn’t like the butternut squash texture but she said she loved the taste. Thank you always girl. Love your recipes
I have made this recipe twice and it has become one of my favourite one pan meals. It’s so delicious.
made this to take to work for lunches and it is so good! Will definitely be making it more often.
Can I eliminate the egg?
Yes, I skip the egg sometimes and it’s still fine, just doesn’t thicken and firm up in the oven as much.
Filling and yummy! I used local sausage and the crushed red pepper really makes this dish shine. I did end up using more pasta sauce and coconut milk. Probably a 1/2 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup of sauce total. Would definitely make again!
I’ve made this dozens of times since finding it in 2015 when I was recovering from chemo and radiation and shifting my nutrition focus. I’ve made it for meal exchanges where it’s always been a hit, I’ve made it for friends, families, and people I barely knew (and when I make it for others’ homes, I always triple it and make in two large pans and my huge cast iron pan, so I can have some for myself)!
Everyone always loves it and it gets eaten all up every time. I’ve never had an issue freezing some, I like to do that before I add the egg and then put it in an oven-safe dish, bake it to thaw for 10-15 mins and then add the egg and bake another 15 minutes. When I do that re-heat, I use convection at 375 F, which I supposed is like 400 F in a conventional oven.
I use a bit more of the coconut milk, a little tomato paste at the start with the carmelizing onions, and a little less tomato sauce. Tomato paste and less sauce can make it thicker so skipping the egg if you avoid egg won’t mean it’s too thin.
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