spiralized butternut squash recipes

How to make squash noodles

Butternut squash noodles are easy to make using a spiralizer. As with any spiralized vegetable recipe, one of the keys to success is choosing the ideal squash and prepping it right.

Look for a butternut squash that is as evenly symmetrical as possible on all sides. Lumpy produce won’t guide as easily on the spiralizer.

The noodles will be made out of the long neck of the squash. You can’t spiralize the bottom, rounder part of the squash because that’s where all the seeds are.

Basically, you want to make an unpeeled log-shaped portion of squash by doing the follow:

• Cutting off the round bottom section
• Cutting off the stem at the top, to create a flat surface
• Peeling the skin off the remaining squash section

Make sure you get all the way through the skin when peeling, because it is really fibrous and not that enjoyable to eat. Once you’ve done that, you can just set it into your spiralizer like normal and churn out those noodles!

Spiralized butternut squash recipes

Now let’s get to the fun part: quick and fun butternut squash spiral recipes to try!

Toast

With goat cheese and pomengranate seeds, this would make for an excellent and healthy breakfast, appetizer, or even light lunch fare.

Curried salad

This perfect fall salad combines your favorite flavors and ingredients from the autumn season, like cinnamon, apples, dates, and pecans.

Green salad

If you’re looking for a fresh salad, here’s one that includes kale, quinoa, avocado and walnuts.

How to Spiralize a Butternut Squash?

The title of this post says it all… today, I’m going to show you, step-by-step, how to spiralize a butternut squash. Many of you asked me for a tutorial after Monday’s and Tuesday’s post, and I’m happy you did!

To start off, let’s make sure we are spiralizing the right shape of butternut squash. As I mentioned on Monday, choose a butternut squash that is as evenly cylindrical as possible. Big bulbous bottoms are not favorable here. Ha, I chuckled to myself writing that sentence. Tehe. The bottoms of the squashes (where they get wider) are where the seeds are and that part cannot be spiralized. The picture at the top of this post is the ideal size for spiralizing.

Once you’ve got your squash, cut the bulbous end off.

Next, cut off the opposite end of the part of the squash you will be using.

Now, peel the squash, trying to get rid of all the green parts so that the tough outer skin is completely removed. I’m not going to sugar coat this part, it’s obnoxious. It takes a little bit of time (about 5 minutes) and you may have to peel multiple layers off before the orange inside skin pops through.

This vegetable is now about 6 inches long. You’re going to want to cut it in half to about 3 inches to make it easier to spiralize, like you would with any vegetable. The pen is for perspective, obviously.

Time to spiralize! Load one of the halves into the spiralizer. Press the teeth of the handle into the squash so that it is secure. When you spiralize, use the bottom handle for leverage and push while you crank the other handle.

There you have it, the tutorial is done. You’re ready to prepare your butternut squash noodles! That 3″ piece of the squash yields this many noodles (about enough to serve 2):

Lastly, keep in mind that butternut squash noodles are firmer than zucchini noodles. They take longer to cook in a skillet (about 5-7 minutes to soften).

How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles Without a Spiralizer

Alternatively, you can use a julienne peeler to make butternut squash noodles. Though I have to be honest, this will require a bit of an arm workout. Additionally, the “noodles” you will get using a julienne peeler will be thinner compared to squash noodles made with a spiralizer. As a result, they will cook quicker.

What if I don’t own a spiralizer?

No need to worry if you don’t own a spiralizer, because nowadays most supermarkets sell various spiralized vegetables. For instance, our local Stop and Shop has a special section in the fresh produce area, where you can conveniently choose amongst several kinds of veggie “noodles” that are perfectly portioned for 2 servings.

Roast Butternut Squash Noodles in The Oven

Another method to cook squash noodles is to roast them in the oven. If you decide to do so, simply preheat the oven to 400 F degrees, line a sheet pan with parchment paper, spread your spiralized butternut squash on the sheet pan, drizzle it with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. It should take no longer than 7-9 minutes for them to fully roast and soften.

How long to cook butternut squash noodles for?

The timing of how long it takes for butternut squash noodles to cook depends on the thickness of your noodles and the method you decide to use to cook them.

The thicker they are the longer it will take for them to cook. If you choose to use a spiralizer like I did (or buy them already spiralized from the supermarket),it takes 7-10 minutes for them to cook over medium-high heat on the stovetop. I recommend continually turning the noodles using tongs to make sure even cooking.

If you decide to cook them like spaghetti they cook faster, 3-5 minutes for al dente. If you decide to boil them, keep a close eye on them as it can get mushy so quickly.