Butternut Squash and Black Bean Orzo with Sausage and Spinach is a perfect Autumn dinner packed with veggies and protein. It's a tasty addition to the holiday menu and is also great for an easy weeknight meal. Simple and flavorful to become your family's new favorite Fall comfort food!
Butternut squash and black bean orzo
Butternut squash is one of those ingredients you probably use only in the Fall and Winter when this winter squash is in season. And, if you're looking for inspiration on how to use this delicious ingredient in your cooking, you've come to the right place as I've got lots of butternut squash recipes! This particular recipe has everything you need in a complete meal: protein (sausage and black beans), veggies (butternut squash and spinach), and pasta (orzo). A very tasty flavor combo! Just like this reader-favorite Autumn dinner that uses similar ingredients: Black Bean and Butternut Squash Casserole.
Holiday recipe
While this recipe is pretty straightforward and super easy to make, it looks and tastes like a pasta dish from a fine Italian restaurant! It can also be a great holiday main course (or a side dish). If you want to expand your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, try this dish for your holiday menu! Another fantastic holiday recipe is Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries.
Why make it
Roasted butternut squash and black beans go really well together! Add spinach, sausage, and orzo and you have one of those rare pasta recipes that combine both comfort food deliciousness and healthy ingredients. This pasta is cozy and comforting yet it's packed with fiber and nutrients. A perfect family weeknight dinner!
Main ingredients
- Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as several minerals, including magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Butternut squash is also rich in dietary fiber.
- Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It’s high in fiber and a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, iron, and calcium.
- Pre-cooked sausage. Use smoked sausage, andouille sausage, or cajun sausage. The key is to use a flavored sausage that has already been pre-cooked. I used pre-cooked andouille sausage in this recipe.
- Orzo is an Italian pasta that is shaped and looks like long rice.
How to make butternut squash and black bean orzo
Here is the recipe in a nutshell. For more details, scroll down to the recipe card below.
1) Roast butternut squash (peeled and cubed) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in the preheated oven at 400 F.
2) Cook orzo in boiling water in a medium saucepan in a 1:2 ratio (1 cup of orzo with 2 cups of water).
3) Cook sausage coins (I used Andouille sausage) in a large high-sided skillet.
4) Add spinach to the skillet with sausage and cook until it wilts.
5) Assemble the dish by adding black beans, cooked orzo, and roasted butternut squash to the skillet with sausage and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Top with fresh thyme.
Cooking Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed cooking pan such as a cast-iron skillet or a good-quality stainless steel pan. This will help avoid the burn spots and will ensure even cooking without food getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Spice it up! Butternut squash and black beans will benefit from a bit of heat. Use red pepper flakes to spice up this dish, especially if the sausage is not spicy.
- Fresh spinach is used in this recipe. You can also use frozen spinach. Or change up the greens and use arugula, kale, or Swiss chard instead.
- Add a splash of heavy cream for the creamier version of this dish.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using long rice instead of orzo.
- Reduce calories by using chopped cauliflower or cauliflower rice instead of orzo.
- Toppings. When serving, top this butternut squash and black bean dinner with grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, or cracked black pepper.
Tips on making it ahead
Roast butternut squash cubes up to 2 days ahead. Keep them refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use. Reheat the squash briefly in the microwave (for about 30 seconds) before adding it to this dish.
Storage and reheating tips
Because butternut squash and black bean orzo has no cream and no cheese, this weeknight meal is easy to store and reheat. You can also make it ahead. Here are some tips:
- Fridge. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. Freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated leftovers in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat it with a small amount of olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat.
How to serve it
Serve butternut squash and black bean orzo in shallow pasta bowls or on plates. Garnish with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes, if you like. Sprinkle freshly grated or shaved Parmesan, Asiago, or Pecorino Romano cheese on top.
What sides to serve with this meal?
- Store-bought or homemade bread. Serve this easy recipe with a slice of warm Italian bread, garlic bread, or olive bread loaf. Baguette or sourdough bread will also be delicious.
- Simple salad. Serve a generous amount of simple salad, such as basic spinach or arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts (pecans or pine nuts), a small amount of shredded Parmesan, and dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Salad recommendations. If you're looking for specific salad recommendations, try this simple spinach salad with pine nuts and Parmesan or cranberry spinach salad with cashews and goat cheese. Or, pair the butternut squash and black bean orzo with the colorful and easy-to-make arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans or Fall-themed arugula salad with pears, apples, cashews, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Other butternut squash recipes you might like
- Autumn Chicken Dinner with Roasted Vegetables (Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts)
- Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sausage, Thyme, and Sage
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Cheese
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Orzo with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients
Roasted butternut squash
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Other ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 oz sausage cooked, such as cajun sausage, andouille sausage, or smoked sausage
- 15 oz black beans canned, rinsed, drained
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- fresh thyme
Instructions
Roast Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
- Roast in the preheated oven on the middle rack at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Proceed with the rest of the recipe while you roast the squash.
Cook pasta
- Combine 2 cups of water and 1 cup of orzo in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to medium or medium-low heat.
- Cook the orzo for about 10 minutes on medium or medium-low heat, with water visibly simmering, stirring frequently to make sure the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add small amounts of water if the cooking water gets absorbed too quickly. Adjust the heat as you go.
- Once the orzo reaches an "al dente" texture, remove the pan from heat, cover it with a lid and let the orzo rest in the residual heat for about 5 minutes, off heat.
Cook sausage
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast iron or stainless steel) on medium heat.
- Slice cooked sausage into coins and add to the skillet.
- Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes on one side until nicely browned, then flip over and cook for about 3 minutes on the other side.
Assembly
- Add spinach to the sausage and cook on medium-low heat until wilted.
- Add rinsed and drained black beans and cooked orzo (drained of any liquid). Mix to combine. Add roasted butternut squash cubes. Stir everything together carefully.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Top with fresh thyme.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Easy enough to make. Needs more seasonings, or maybe a creamy, cheesy sauce.
This has so much flavor and was easy to throw together in 30 minutes. I used Kielbasa instead of cajun sausage. Once it cools down it does get a little dry, so I add broth to get it back to being moist.
This was delicious! So many flavors and so easy to prepare. Wouldn't change a thing.
I am so glad you loved this recipe, Kathy!
Great recipe! I made it per the recipe, with Spanish chorizo sausage. Added 1/2 an onion, some garlic powder, pepper flakes and goat cheese on top. Loved the combo of sweet squash, creamy beans and a little heat. Seems endlessly riffle too!
Hi Catherine, thank you for your review! I love that you added Spanish chorizo sausage and a bit of onion—so tasty!
I made a few tweaks- but overall easy recipe! I carmelized some onions because I had a bunch to use up. I also drizzled honey on the butternut squash because it’s cold season here so always trying to squeeze that in. I get frozen butternut squash and steam it 1/2 way in the microwave and then finish roasting it in the oven- saves time and effort. I used Amylu Gruyère and artichoke sausages because we are gf and pork free- I also used Barilla orzo. So I think mine will be more sweet and savory but still love the unique ingredients combo!!
Wow, I love your version, Emily, thank you for sharing all the details! ❤️❤️ And thank you for taking the time to leave a review (reviews are so important for food blog!!).
I’m not a great cook, but needed an easy recipe that my hubby would enjoy. He loved it and ate 3 helpings! I gave it 4 stars because I’m not a huge fan of spicy sausage, but overall very yummy!
So glad you both enjoyed this recipe (especially your husband)! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share your review! 🙂
I would suggest you use another sausage. There are several that are not so spicy, like Adells which comes in several flavors. I cannot eat the spicy stuff but use some of the other sausages often.
Thanks for your tips, Gayle!
Wonderful recipe we didn't have cream so we put sour cream in along with Parmesan Romano cheese. Will definitely make this again PS we served it with homemade Rosemary bread
Cindy, serving this orzo with the homemade bread sounds so good! ❤️
It was okay. Did I miss the cream...??
Diana, there is no cream in this recipe. 🙂
Not going to make it into regular food rotation. Very lacking in flavor. I am a big fan of her recipes but not this one…
Barbara, thank you for your honest feedback! ❤️ Maybe this recipe is better with the spicy type of sausage.
I made this tonight! My husband and I love it! Thank you!
JoAnn, so glad you both loved it! ❤️
This recipe is amazing. I honestly wondered about the combination of ingredients but we all loved it. I used whole wheat orzo. Instead of peeling and cubing the butternut squash, I cut the squash in half and seeded, then placed cut side down on a lined pan and roasted at 375 for 40 minutes. I let it cool slightly then cut the squash into cubes, which came right off the peel. I used kielbasa and added some heavy cream as suggested. I also added 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper. Since I did not have black beans, I substituted dark red kidney beans and they worked just fine. Grated cheese and additional red pepper were served with this for people to add to taste. Rave reviews all around, thank you!
Lisa, thank you for sharing this thoughtful feedback - I really appreciate it! ❤️ I love the addition of crushed red pepper and grated cheese.
Made Exactly As You Did - Outstanding !!
Johnny, glad you tried this recipe and that it was a success! 🙂
Has anyone tried to freeze this and reheat
This will freeze and reheat well!
Made this tonight and me and my hubby loved it! Perfect for a rainy cold night!
Emma, glad you tried this recipe and that it turned out well! Thank you for the 5-stars! 🙂
This look so beautiful! Can't wait to try it! I just discovered your page on Facebook and loving so many recipes!
Kat, I am glad you discovered my page! I hope you try lots of recipes here and love them all! 🙂
Don’t care for butternut squash, would cubed zucchini be ok.
Bette, yes, zucchini would work great in this recipe, too!
I made but with kale substitute for the spinach. My whole family raved about this. Thank you for the recipe!
Kale would taste so good here! Thank you for the comment and the 5-stars! 🙂
This looks yummy but nobody in my family likes black beans - can. Substitute white cannellini beans?
Kathy, yes, you can use cannellini beans or garbanzo beans. I would drain them really well.