White Bean, Sausage, Pumpkin Pasta Bake

I stumbled on this recipe on accident.  It showed as an ad for a recipe on another recipe that I was looking at making.  This is a great fall recipe and is very filling.  Try it immediately!!!

White Bean, Sausage, and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

12 oz pasta of choice, cooked

1 lb sausage of choice

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp all purpose flour (gluten free)

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 C Chicken broth

1 1/2 C milk

1- 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1-8 oz can tomato sauce

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 ground nutmeg

5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

2- 15 oz cans cannellini beans

5 oz fresh spinach leaves

2 C mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13" casserole dish.  Reserve 1/4 C starch pasta water before draining.  Drain pasta and set aside.  

In a skillet, brown sausage over med-high heat breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.  Remove from skillet.  Reduce heat to medium.  Melt butter in the skillet and then whisk in the flour until it starts to bubble.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Whisk in the chicken broth a little at a time, followed by the pumpkin puree, milk, tomato, spices, and thyme.  Bring to a simmer.

Stir in the spinach and allow to wilt and add the beans.  Mix in the pasta, sauce, sausage together.  Spoon half the mixture into the pan, cover with cheese and add the remaining pasta mix and then the remaining cheese.  Sprinkle with fresh thyme sprigs.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Uncover.  Turn oven to broil and com for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.