This post is sponsored by Carapelli® . All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I go for morning walks, I pass by pumpkin patches that are guarded by scarecrows. Families with young children are drawn to the small local farms in our small town here in Southern Vermont with the intention of selecting the ideal canvas for their seasonal Jack O’ Lanterns.
I chose a few butternut squashes last week during one of those walks to try my hand at making squash noodles. If you have been following for a while, you might recall the 5-Ingredient Zucchini Noodles and Sweet Potato Noodle Pad Thai I shared in the past. They rank among the blog’s most well-liked recipes.
Since butternut squash is currently in plentiful supply, I was curious to see what would happen if I spiralized it and made noodles out of it. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be such a good recipe that I decided to post it on the blog.
With the holidays approaching, I also believed it would make a fantastic vegetarian side dish, especially if you have visiting vegetarians. This recipe for Butternut Squash Noodles, which only requires a few ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, is bursting with autumnal flavors.
If you enjoy whipping up quick dinners with few ingredients, like I do, you are aware that using high-quality ingredients is the secret to creating dishes that taste good. I used Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a premium oil with depth and flavor (bottled in Florence, Italy for more than 125 years), for my butternut squash pasta noodles.
Since I used Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in this recipe for Roasted Carrot Hummus last summer, I have been using it. It tastes fantastic and comes in a beautiful bottle that is easy to overlook in the supermarket’s olive oil aisle.
I want to discuss how to make butternut squash into “noodles” before I continue with the recipe.
The first technique, which I employed, involves using a spiralizer. I personally own one and highly recommend it.
You should look for a butternut squash with a long, thick neck if you plan to spiralize it. The bulbous portion at the bottom (where the seeds are) is not ideally shaped for spiralizing. I reserve the bottom part for roasting later on.
Simply peel the neck portion of the butternut squash and remove the top to create spiralized squash noodles. Then using the thickest noodle blade process butternut into noodles. Before you begin turning the wheel to make the squash into noodles, make sure that the squash is firmly pressed onto the prongs because butternut squash is harder than other vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes.
If you’d like, shorten the long squash noodles so they’re easier to cook and consume later.
Watch how to spiralize butternut squash video {27 Seconds}
What if I don’t own a spiralizer?
If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t worry; nowadays, most supermarkets sell a variety of spiralized vegetables. For instance, the fresh produce section of our neighborhood Stop and Shop has a dedicated area where you can easily select from a variety of veggie “noodles” that are conveniently portioned for two servings.
Sauteé on the Stove Top – How To Cook Spiralized Butternut Squash
This recipe for stovetop squash noodles involves two steps in the cooking process.
You start by frying a small chopped onion and a few garlic cloves in two tablespoons of olive oil. The squash noodles are next added, and they are gently sautéed for 7 to 10 minutes. It will be simpler to turn them as they cook if you use kitchen tongs. They will be soft and smaller in volume when they are fully cooked, so watch for those signs.
Second, you add in the flavoring agents. To keep this recipe as straightforward as possible, I chose to top it with toasted walnuts, a little parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. However, if you are preparing this for holiday entertaining, you can substitute fresh sage for the parsley.
FAQ
How do you Spiralize a butternut squash with a spiralizer?
Spiralize the butternut squash using the long, thin neck. The bulbous bottom portion, where the seeds are, is not the best for spiralizing due to its uneven shape and location of the seeds. Don’t overcook the butternut squash noodles.
Can you spiral cut butternut squash?
It takes a little while (about 5 minutes), and you might need to remove several layers before the orange interior skin becomes visible. This vegetable is now about 6 inches long. To make it easier to spiralize, you should cut it in half to a length of about 3 inches, as you would with any other vegetable.
