This post is sponsored by Carapelli® . All thoughts and opinions are my own.
On my morning walks, I pass by pumpkin patches sitting under the watchful eyes of scarecrows. The small local farms in our small town here in Southern Vermont attract families with young children, intent on picking out the perfect canvas for their seasonal Jack O’ Lantern.
Last week in one of those walks, I picked out a few butternut squashes to try my hand in making squash noodles. If you have been following for a while you might remember the Sweet Potato Noodle Pad Thai and 5-Ingredient Zucchini Noodles I shared a while back. They are amongst some of the most popular recipes on the blog.
With the butternut squash currently being in abundance, I wanted to see how it would turn out if I were to spiralize it and turn it into noodles. To my surprise, it ended up being such a good recipe that I decided that it should be on the blog.
I also thought that it would be a great vegetarian side dish with the holidays coming up, especially if you have vegetarian guests coming. Made with just a few ingredients, this Butternut Squash Noodles recipe is bursting with autumn flavors and ready in less than 20 minutes.
If you are like me, into making quick dinners with minimal ingredients, you know that the key to creating dishes that taste good is using high-quality ingredients. For my butternut squash pasta noodles, I used Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a premium oil full of depth and flavor (bottled in Florence, Italy for over 125 years), that I purchased from our local Stop and Shop.
I have been using Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil since I featured it in this Roasted Carrot Hummus recipe last summer. In addition to tasting really good, it has an artful and elegant looking bottle that is hard to miss on the olive oil isle at the supermarket.
How to make squash noodles
Before I continue to talk about the recipe, I want to talk about how to to turn butternut squash to “noodles”.
Here are two methods you can use:
How to Spiralize Butternut Squash
The first method, the one I used, is using a spiralizer. This is the one I own and I cannot recommend it enough.
When it comes to spiralizing butternut squash you want to find a squash with a long and thick neck. The bottom part (where the seeds are), called bulbous, does not have an ideal shape for spiralizing. I reserve the bottom part for roasting later on.
To make spiralized squash noodles, simply peel the neck part of the butternut squash and trim the top off. Then using the thickest noodle blade process butternut into noodles. Since butternut squash is harder than other vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes, it is important to make sure that the squash is securely pressed onto the prongs before you start turning the wheel to turn it into noodles.
If preferred, trim the long squash noodles into shorter lengths so they are easier to cook and eat later on.
Watch how to spiralize butternut squash video {27 Seconds}
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.
How to cook butternut squash noodles
There are 3 ways to cook butternut squash noodles:
Sauteé on the Stove Top - How To Cook Spiralized Butternut Squash
The process of cooking this squash noodles on the stove top recipe has 2 folds.
First, you sauteé a small chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then you add in the squash noodles and sauteé them gently for 7-10 minutes. I recommend using kitchen tongs as it will be easier to turn them as they cook. You will know that they are fully cooked, when they are softer and smaller in volume.
Second, you add in the flavoring agents. I wanted to keep this recipe super simple so I went with toasted walnuts, a touch of parmesan cheese, and some fresh parsley to finish off. Though if you are making this for your holiday entertaining, you can swap freshly parsley with fresh sage.
Boil Squash Noodles Like Pasta - How to Boil Squash Noodles
Alternatively, you can boil the butternut squash noodles (like spaghetti) in a pot of salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes. The timing depends on the thickness of your noodles, but I recommend keeping a close eye on it as it happens fairly quick.
If you decide to go with the boiling method and want to use the flavoring agents I used in my squash noodles recipe here, I recommend that you cook the onion with Carapelli olive oil separately and add in the boiled squash noodles into the pot at the end. This way noodles will be coated with the onions., which will provide a moist surface for parmesan cheese to stick to later when they are sprinkled with it.
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.
A Few Tips on For The Best SautéedButternut Squash Noodles
- What to do with the leftovers: I doubt that you will, but if you have leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They will keep fresh for one more day.
- Can I freeze butternut squash noodles: Yes, you can but I recommend freezing them before cooking. If you decide to do so, simply spiralize your squash, place in a plastic bag, and store it in the fridge upto 5 days or a month in the freezer.
- Can I serve this to my vegan friends: Absolutely! Simply omit parmesan cheese or swap it with a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for the umami flavor.
Regardless of the method you choose to cook or flavor your butternut squash noodles, it is important to use the freshest and highest quality ingredients when making such simple recipes.
After all these years of writing and sharing recipes for a food blog, I found that the art of cooking and eating well is all about using the freshest produce that is in season and looking for the highest quality ingredients to deliver big flavors. Since cooking almost every dish starts with olive oil, I prefer to spend on extra on Carapelli EVOO as I believe they have mastered the art of crafting exceptional extra virgin olive oils.
Other vegetable noodle recipes (aka low carb dinner recipes you might like
- Learn How to Cook Zucchini Noodles - A recipe with only 5-Ingredients and ready in 15 minutes
- Skinny Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles - A healthified version of shrimp scampi recipe made with zoodles instead of pasta
- Sweet Potato Noodle Pad Thai - Love Asian flavors? Well, this vegan and gluten-free pad thai recipe is out of this world. A reader favorite.
- Chicken Potato Noodle Soup - Your favorite chicken soup got lighter with spiralized potato noodles.
Other squash recipes you might like
- Butternut Squash Lentil Stew
- Stuffed Acorn Squash Vegan
- Acorn Squash Salad
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash and Bulgur Wheat Salad
- Ina Garten Butternut Squash Salad
- Delicata Squash Roasted
6-Ingredient Butternut Squash Noodles
By Aysegul Sanford
Yields: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 25 minutes mins
Learn how to cook butternut squash noodles on the stove top for a scrumptious, healthy, and 6-ingredient vegetarian 15-minute dinner recipe.
5 from 27 votes
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Carepelli EVOO
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 6 cups spiralized Butternut Squash Noodles from two 10-12 inch butternut squashes
- Salt*
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
Heat Carepelli EVOO in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Add in the butternut squash noodles and cook for 7-10 minutes (timing depends on the thickness of your noodles). I recommend using kitchen tongs to gently turn them as they cook. You will know that they are cooked when they soften and get smaller in volume.
Add in the walnuts and give it a large gentle stir.
To Serve: Divide the cooked noodles into bowls and sprinkle each bowl with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley, if preferred.
Video
Notes
*I would recommend starting with a small amount of salt and adding more after adding the parmesan only if you think you need it.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 871mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 22600IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Vegetarian Dinner
Cuisine: American
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