Sweet Potato Pasta
This indulgent Sweet Potato Pasta combines roasted sweet potatoes, onions, and chicken sausage, all tossed in a creamy goat cheese sauce and finished with Parmesan. So good!
Servings: 6 servings
Cost: $15.84
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes 3-1/4 cups, see note 1
- 1 yellow onion 1-1/2 cups, see note 2
- 2 to 4 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 12 ounces chicken sausage cut into coins
- Salt and pepper
- 1.5 cups bowtie pasta 12 ounces, plus 2 cups pasta cooking water
- 6 ounces goat cheese see note 3
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese see note 4
- 2 cups baby spinach coarsely chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil ribboned, optional
- Toasted and coarsely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and chop sweet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut onion into 1/2 inch cubes. Important to chop these small for roasting time! Slice chicken sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
- Add 4 cloves of garlic (still in papery skins) to a small square of foil. Add 1/2 teaspoon olive oil to the foil and wrap up the cloves in the foil, making a small ball. Add to an extra-large sheet pan. Add sweet potato cubes, onion cubes, remaining olive oil (8 and 1/2 teaspoons, 38g), Italian seasoning, salt (I add 1/2 teaspoon), and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon) to the pan. Toss to combine, space out on sheet pan, and bake 15 minutes. Remove tray and add sliced chicken sausage. Toss to combine with veggies and bake another 10–15 minutes or until veggies are tender (see note 5). Remove and set aside to slightly cool.
- While veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and then the pasta. Cook 1 minute short of directions on the package. Before draining, use a glass measuring cup to remove about 2 cups of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot.
- Dollup spoonfuls of the goat cheese over the hot drained pasta and slowly add pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, while tossing vigorously with tongs or two wooden spoons to get the cheese to melt and adhere to the pasta—creating a creamy sauce. (I usually add 1/2 cup pasta water to get to this point, but add as needed, now and in the next step.) Add heavy cream. Continue to toss until pasta is well coated and creamy.
- Add roasted sweet potato, onion, and chicken sausage on top of the pasta. Remove garlic cloves from the foil and pull off the paper skin. Press cloves through a garlic press into the pasta (add as many cloves to desired preference). Add coarsely chopped spinach. Toss everything together, adding more pasta water as needed to create an ultra-creamy sauce. While tossing everything together, gradually add Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Taste and adjust seasonings (add any additional salt/pepper here). If desired, stir in basil. Serve and add chopped pecans to individual plates. Enjoy while hot!
Video
Notes
Note 1: This is about 2 medium potatoes or 3-1/4 cups (340g). Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. It’s important to keep them small for roasting times!
Note 2: This is about 1 small onion or 1-1/2 cups (220g). Remove papery skin and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Note 3: You’re looking for a log of goat cheese, not the crumbles for this recipe.
Note 4: Grab a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater. Alternatively use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t melt into the sauce nicely.
Note 5: I use a very large (15x21-inch sheet pan), which allows ample space for veggies so they roast perfectly in this time. If veggies are chopped larger or are crowded on the pan, they will take much longer to roast. Use 2 sheet pans if needed to allow ample space.
Storage: To store sweet potato pasta, let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.8g | Protein: 18.2g | Fat: 20.2g | Cholesterol: 71.7mg | Sodium: 636.6mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 5.5g