TL/DR – Roasted Sage Butternut Squash and Sausage on Parmesan Polenta with Balsamic Reduction. Vegetarian option – leave the sausage out and it’s just as good! Easy weeknight meal. For real. –
The challenge of feeding vegetarians and non-vegetarians at the same meal… am I right? This concept is one of my favorites. Create something vegetarian that’s amazing, then add a meat element separately.
In this recipe, a simple parmesan polenta is topped with roasted butternut squash cubes tossed in lots of fresh sage, salt, pepper and olive oil and drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction, (just simmer a cup of balsamic for about 15 minutes.) Add roasted Italian sausage links for those who enjoy meat. DONE.
Polenta is one of the easiest things to make. It’s yellow cornmeal… it’s in the baking aisle… and it’s affordable. The basic gist is to boil 4 cups of water, then slowly whisk in 1 cup of yellow cornmeal, careful to avoid lumps. Slow is key. I never quite get it right and it’s totally ok. Then lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s thick but still smooth. Add butter, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.
To assemble, spread a nice hot layer of polenta in a low bowl, top with the squash and sausage (if desired,) then drizzle with a decent amount of the balsamic reduction.
For another vegetarian meal to which meat can easily be added, try Pasta with Spinach Herb Sauce.
Roasted Sage Butternut Squash and Sausage on Parmesan Polenta with Balsamic Reduction
This is a simple weeknight meal that satisfies the needs of vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes, about 4 cups. Alternately, buy pre-cubed squash and cut the cubes to 1 inch if necessary.
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 T fresh sage, minced
- 1 t kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 t ground black pepper, divided
- 16 oz Italian sausage link or links
- 1 c quality balsamic vinegar
- 4 c water
- 1 c yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
- 2 T butter
- 15 basil leaves, sliced into very thin strips
Directions
- Step 1 Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Step 2 Toss the cubed squash in 2 T olive oil with the fresh sage, 1/4 t kosher salt and 1/8 t pepper on a sheet pan lined with foil, then spread the chunks apart so they cover the whole pan. Roast at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Step 3 Coat the sausage link in the remaining 1 T oil and place on a sheet pan lined with foil and roast for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Step 4 As the other ingredients roast, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a very small saucepan, then lower to a lively simmer at about medium-low heat and cook down until thick, about 10-15 minutes.
- Step 5 Also as the other ingredients roast, boil the 4 cups of water and very slowly whisk in the yellow cornmeal. Try to avoid lumps, but don’t feel terrible if there are a few. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for just a few more minutes, about 4, until the polenta is thick but still creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan, and the remaining 3/4 t kosher salt, 1/8 t pepper.
- Step 6 To assemble, spread a generous spoonful or two of polenta in a low bowl and top with a quarter of the roasted butternut squash cubes. Cut pieces of the sausage and add them if desired, then drizzle about 1 T of the balsamic reduction over the whole dish and top with some fresh basil. Serve immediately.
