TikTok’s Shay Spence Shares His Cheesy Butternut Pasta Bake
This cheesy, sausage-studded pasta bake is comfort food made foolproof by TikTok's Shay Spence!
Craving comfort food with a grown-up twist? TikTok sensation Shay Spence shares foolproof recipes from his new cookbook, Meals You Can’t Mess Up—and this Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta Bake proves why fans can’t get enough. “Consider this a cross between mac and cheese and a more elevated canned-soup noodle casserole than the kind I grew up eating in Texas,” Shay shares. Savory Italian sausage, creamy butternut squash soup, and melty mozzarella come together in one skillet for a dish that’s both nostalgic and sophisticated. Ready in just 50 minutes, this bubbling, cheesy bake is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm, hearty, and deeply satisfying!
Want more delicious recipes? Check out Shay’s book, Meals You Can’t Mess Up: 100+ Actually Easy Recipes for Big Flavor with Little Effort, out now!
Total Time
Prep Time
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pasta shells
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage (preferably bulk instead of links)
- 2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves + more to garnish
- 1 (32 oz.) box butternut squash soup, such as Pacific Foods
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
Instructions
PrintHeat broiler to high. To medium pot, add pasta, enough cold water to cover pasta by 2" and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to bottom. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook for 6 min., until a couple min. shy of al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in large, oven-safe sauté pan or braiser over medium-high heat, add sausage and cook for 8–10 min., crumbling with back of a spoon, until browned. Add thyme and butternut squash soup, bring to simmer, and let cook down for 10 min.
Add pasta and cook in sauce for 3 min., then stir in Parmesan to thicken. Season with salt to taste, then top with mozzarella. Transfer to oven and broil for about 3 min., until browned and bubbly. Let sit for at least 5 min. to allow sauce to thicken more, then garnish with additional thyme.
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