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Cozy weekend brunch

Frittatas are a much-loved brunch dish at my house year-round. They're super easy to assemble, flexibly welcome whatever produce is in season at the moment, and make for superb leftovers for several days afterward. But when the cooler months come around and the temperature starts dropping, this Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale takes pride of place. Savory sausage is complemented with sweet and creamy butternut squash, hearty kale, and a pinch of spice from red pepper flakes. The top is adorned with dollops of whole milk ricotta cheese which bakes into the eggs to create pools of rich creaminess. It's a gorgeous fall combination that's perfect for cozy weekend brunch or anytime you have an inclination to start your morning deliciously.

an unbaked frittata with butternut squash, sausage, kale, and ricotta in a cast itorn pan

closeup of unbaked eggs, butternut squash, sausage, kale, and ricotta

What to serve with this fall frittata

This Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale is hearty enough to eat on its own, but we also often serve this dish with a side of roasted potatoes or hashbrowns if we're in the mood for a full brunch. If you prefer to serve this dish for lunch, it pairs really well with a light green salad.

Let's talk about ricotta for a moment

I prefer to use the thickest whole milk ricotta I can find for this dish so that it stays rich and creamy after baking, but not all ricotta is created equally. If you can scoop your ricotta and it holds its shape fairly well, it's perfect. If your ricotta doesn't hold it's shape when scooped and is a little on the thin side, I suggest you strain some of the excess liquid using a cheesecloth-lined strainer for atleast 5 minutes. A pinch of salt stirred into the ricotta can also greatly help disgorge some of the excess liquid when straining.

a closeup of a baked frittata with kale, butternut squash, ricotta, and sausage

a hand dishing a slice of Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale onto a white plate

a wooden spatula resting in a cast iron dish with frittata, a white plate with a slice resting nearby as well as a white dish of potatoes

What tools do you need to make this recipe?

A cutting board
A chefs knife
Measuring cups and measuring spoons
A large cast-iron pan or other oven-safe pan (If you do not have an oven-safe pan, you can transfer the cooked sausage and veggies to a baking dish and pour the eggs over top before baking)
A wooden spoon or spatula
A spoon for dolloping the ricotta
A cheesecloth-lined strainer (only if your ricotta is a little more liquidy than firm)

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale and potatoes on a white plate with a forn resting next to a cast iron pan filled with frittata

a fork resting on a white plate that contains Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale and potatoes

a slice of Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale and roasted potatoes on a white dish with a fork, resting on a white towel on a wooden surface

A note for special diets

This Fall Frittata with Sausage and Butternut Squash recipe is friendly for grain-free, gluten-free, and low carb diets. If gluten-free/grain-free you'll want to check the bulk sausage you buy to make sure they haven't used any fillers and is labeled gluten-free/grain-free.

Fall Frittata with Sausage and Butternut Squash

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Author: Whip & Wander
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Method: Oven / Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This Fall Frittata with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Kale is a very cozy brunch dish. Ricotta adds rich creaminess to this brunch recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

½ lb ground bulk sausage
12 oz (about 1 ¾ cup) frozen diced butternut squash - may substitute for fresh pre-roasted dices
67 g (about 2 cups) Lacinato/Italian kale, de-ribbed and chopped
12 large eggs
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme
186 g (about ¾ cup) whole milk ricotta cheese (see notes)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
In a large cast-iron pan (or oven-safe pan*) over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until it is mostly cooked through, then lower the heat to heat to medium.
Add the frozen butternut squash to the pan and allow to cook with the sausage for a few minutes to thaw, then add the kale.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and season with red pepper flakes, Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and thyme.
By now the sausage will have cooked through, the butternut will have thawed and begun to brown, and the kale will have wilted. Pour the eggs over the top of the mixture.
Spoon the ricotta cheese over the top of the frittata in several large, evenly spaced dollops.
Transfer the frittata to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. The top of the frittata will likely glisten slightly from the oil rendered from the sausage, so don't mistake this for undercooked egg.
Slice and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 344
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 205 mg
Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 29 g
Cholesterol: 289 mg