Pasta Without Tomato

A pasta dinner for the nights you want Italian flavors without reaching for the tomato jar. Hot Italian sausage browns first, then softens a mix of onion, carrot, fennel, and mushrooms with a splash of chicken broth. Cooked spaghetti squash goes in with the drained pasta, and the whole thing gets bound with a beaten egg stirred in at the end, carbonara-style.

The two-pasta combo (rotini and broken vermicelli) gives the dish interesting texture: twisty bits that catch sauce and short strands that tangle with the squash. Spaghetti squash does double duty as both vegetable and starch-stretcher.

The egg trick matters. Work fast, keep the heat moderate, and stir constantly so the egg coats rather than scrambles. That’s what turns this from a dry sauté into a silky, glossy pasta.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the spaghetti squash ahead or use leftovers. Microwaved halves work in about 10 minutes, halved and seeded.
• Brown the sausage out of its casing in broken-up pieces for better coverage. Whole links leave bare bites of pasta.
• Keep the mushrooms warmed through, not limp. They should still have bite when the pasta hits the pan.
• When you add the egg, pull the pot briefly off direct high heat, pour into a well, then stir steadily. Too hot and it scrambles.

Variations

• Swap the sausage for browned ground turkey or pancetta for a lighter or richer take.
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach or broccoli florets with the mushrooms for more green.
• Finish with a shower of grated parmesan and cracked pepper just before serving.