Butternut Squash Orzo With Fried Sage
Canned butternut squash purée makes this cozy cold-weather dish come together in a snap. Hearty like risotto and deeply autumnal in both flavor and hue, it’s the kind of weeknight dinner you’ll come back to all season long. Just try not to eat all the brown-butter-fried sage before the pasta is ready.
Ingredients · Servings 4
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (packed) sage leaves
- 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 15-oz. can butternut squash purée
- 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 12 oz. orzo
- 3 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1½ cups)
Method · 45 min
- Heat 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring often, until it foams, then just starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup (packed) sage leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until crisp, about 1 minute. Pour butter through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl. Season sage in sieve with kosher salt. Set brown butter and sage aside separately.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown around the edges, 6–8 minutes. Add 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add one 15-oz. can butternut squash purée, 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste, ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and slightly darkened in color, about 5 minutes.
- Pour 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and 1½ cups water into pot. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil. Add 12 oz. orzo; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often and scraping up any pasta stuck to bottom of pot, until tender and sauce is thickened, 10–12 minutes (it will thicken more as it cools). Remove from heat and add 3 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1½ cups), and reserved brown butter; stir vigorously to combine. Taste orzo; season with more salt if needed.
- Ladle orzo into shallow bowls and top with reserved fried sage.
You guessed it: If you can’t find canned butternut squash purée, you can use canned pumpkin to great effect. Or make your own purée by roasting squash until tender and mashing it until smooth.
