Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel
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Wow the guests at your next party with this Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel. Roasted butternut squash, sausage & herbed ricotta cheese are wrapped up in braided puff pastry dough for a beautiful presentation!
But don’t you worry, this gorgeous homemade strudel recipe is totally easy to make! Scroll down to see step-by-step photos for how to make the puff pastry braid. It’ll be our little secret just how easy it is!
Squash season is my favorite season of the year! Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, you name it, I’m down for it!
I love using butternut squash in different ways. Like pureeing it and adding it to the creamiest, most delicious risotto recipe ever! Or roasting it with apples and turning it into the most incredible fall version of bruschetta you’ve ever tasted!
And who can deny the amazingness of Butternut Squash Soup? In my version, I infuse the soup with chai tea to create a world or fall flavors! Butternut squash is such a versatile fruit. (Yes it’s technically a fruit!) You can roast it, puree it and even make it into noodles!
That’s right, butternut squash noodles are a thing and they’re delicious! Try them in this recipe for Balsamic Chicken Butternut Squash Noodle Bowls. It’s perfect for fall meal prep, gluten free & vitamin packed!
Now when you think of strudels, you probably think about something sweet. And while I love a good Apple Strudel, for this recipe I’m creating the ultimate savory strudel with butternut squash, sausage & ricotta cheese!
The sweet squash, paired with the salty sausage & creamy ricotta cheese, all wrapped up in buttery, flakey puff pastry dough… let’s just say, it’s a combination you’re not going to want to miss!
How to make a Puff Pastry Braid
- Lay a sheet of puff pastry dough out on a piece of parchment paper.
- Quick Tip! Always remember to remove the puff pastry dough from the freezer 45 minutes before beginning the recipe to allow the dough to thaw.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the puff pastry sheet just slightly thinner.
- With the shortest side of the dough facing you, slice a triangle from each side of the bottom of the dough, then slice ½ inch diagonal lines up each side of the dough.
- Add fillings to the middle of the dough.
- Lay the rectangular end of the puff pastry in the middle over the filling, then begin on one side, and lay one strip of dough over the filling, then lay a strip of dough from the other side. Continue alternating puff pastry strips back and forth, over the filling until it’s complete.
How to make a Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and into the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, place loose sausage in a skillet on the stove over medium heat, add chopped fresh sage and cook the sausage through.
- Quick Tip! While I recommend loose sausage for the recipe, you can use sausage links in casing, but I recommend removing the sausage from the casing before cooking.
- Once the sausage is cooked through, drain the grease, then set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese with basil, parsley and oregano.
- Remove the butternut squash from the oven and toss with the cooked sausage.
- Place the sausage and squash in the middle of the puff pastry dough, dollop the herbed ricotta cheese over the top.
- Use the braid method I outlined above to make a braided puff pastry crust, or keep it simple and fold the sides of the puff pastry over the filling.
- Once the entire strudel is wrapped up, transfer it on the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
- Brush egg wash over the puff pastry and place into the oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
When to serve a Savory Strudel
Is it an appetizer, brunch, dinner, a side dish? Lucky for you, it can be any of these things!
- Appetizer: this is the most common way I serve this strudel. Slice it up and it’s the perfect appetizer, great for holiday parties or dinner parties!
- Brunch: Serve it as a savory brunch item, with a light side salad. I like arugula, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and candied pecans with this strudel. Or make this part of a sweet & savory dynamic fall brunch duo by serving it alongside Caramel Apple Bread Pudding!
- Dinner: it’s got carbs, meat, cheese & fruit, that’s a complete meal if you ask me! Slice this strudel in half or quarters (depending on how hungry you are!) and dig in for dinner.
- Side Dish: step up your side dish game at Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving this year by serving this Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel with your turkey and mashed potatoes! Or serve it as a side dish anytime with a Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin or Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast. (Yes, I am totally in to bacon wrapping meats!)
Common Substitutions for this Strudel Recipe
- Want to make this recipe vegetarian? Leave out the sausage & add extra butternut squash!
- Don’t have any butternut squash on hand? Sweet potatoes can be used in it’s place.
- Not a fan of ricotta cheese? Creamy goat cheese can be used in it’s place.
Craving more butternut squash recipes? Look no further than these 5 favs!
- Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- Easy Butternut Squash Tacos
- Roasted Butternut Squash Spinach Kale Salad
- Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Butternut Squash & Crispy Kale
- Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash, peeled & cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ lb loose sausage
- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped or ½ tsp dried sage
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, or ½ tbsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
- 1 egg , whisked
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Remove the puff pastry dough from the freezer 45 minutes before beginning the recipe to allow the dough to thaw.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender.
- While the squash is cooking, add the sausage to a skillet on the stove over medium heat.
- Add the sage, crumble and cook the sausage through, 7-9 minutes.
- Once the sausage is cooked through, drain the grease, then set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, fresh basil, parsley and oregano.
- Remove the butternut squash from the oven and toss with the cooked sausage.
- Place the puff pastry sheet on a large piece of parchment paper, use a rolling pin to roll slightly thinner.
- With the shortest side of the dough facing you, slice a triangle from each side of the bottom of the dough, then slice ½ inch diagonal lines up each side of the dough.
- Place the sausage and squash in the middle of the sheet of puff pastry dough.
- Dollop the ricotta cheese over the sausage and squash.
- Lay the rectangular end of the puff pastry in the middle over the filling, then begin on one side, and lay one strip of dough over the filling, then lay a strip of dough from the other side. Continue alternating strips of dough back and forth over the filling until it’s complete.
- Once the entire strudel is wrapped up, transfer it on the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg and water together to make an egg wash.
- Brush the egg wash over the puff pastry.
- Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Vegetarian Option: Omit the sausage and add another ½ lb. of butternut squash to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Sausage: I use mild Italian loose sausage in this recipe, but others will work just fine. If using link sausages in casing, remove the sausage from the casing before cooking it in the skillet with the fresh sage.
Nutrition Facts
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6 Comments on “Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel”
Can u make this ahead and just reheat? Also can phyllo dough be used instead?
Hi Anna, you will not get the same texture if you make it ahead and reheat it. What you can do is prepare the sausage and butternut squash ahead of time, then wrap it in the puff pastry and bake it before serving. Phyllo dough is much thinner than puff pastry dough and I’m not sure it would hold up to all of the ingredients inside without tearing or becoming soggy. Hope this all helps! Enjoy!
Will the butternut squash strudel freeze well, then cook from semi-frozen state
Hi Leslie, I haven’t tried freezing it before, but I’m sure that would work just fine, you’ll just want to add a few minutes to the cooking time when cooking from a semi-frozen state.