Butternut Squash Noodles - Garlic Butternut Squash Noodle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before cooking? ›

You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.

If you don't own a spiralizer, you can use a very sharp vegetable peeler to peel the butternut squash into thin ribbons. This works well too. One nice size butternut squash makes enough noodles for 2-3 people.

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.

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.

Keep your eye out for any brown spots or blemishes; these can indicate the start of spoiling. Any soft spots or slimy areas are also a sign that your squash has gone bad. Old squash tends to have soft flesh, leathery skin, and a hollow feel. And, of course, any spots of mold mean it's time to toss your squash.

“You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it,” Oliver's website says. “Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.”

If you can't afford a spiralizer or just don't want to clutter your kitchen (trust me, I feel ya), you can make thicker, more fettuccine type noodles with a normal vegetable peeler. Just put your vegetable long way down on a cutting board and peel away long thin ribbons.

Spaghetti squash is very limp and “squishy.” Zucchini pasta has that al dente pasta texture – and, if you peel a zucchini before you spiralize it, it has the same look as regular spaghetti. They are more versatile – when spiralizing, zucchinis can be turned into 3 different types of pasta shapes.

Spaghetti squash is a winter vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Due to its low calorie content and high fiber content, it may aid weight loss and digestive health. Try roasted spaghetti squash as a low carb alternative to pasta, combined with veggies, protein, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Overall, zucchini noodles come out ahead in most of the nutritional categories, though pasta is higher in protein.

What are the top 5 veggies people spiralize? ›

Microwave Hack for Easier Butternut Squash Peeling

Simply slice off the top and bottom, poke the squash all over with a fork and microwave it on high for about 3 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, peel the squash. The softened flesh will make peeling (and slicing) way easier.

There are a few vegetables that were born to be spiralized according to Cassie: ''The firm texture of root vegetables makes them perfect for spiralizing, but you can also use cucumbers, squash or pumpkin, or firm fruits such as apples and pears.

Can You Eat Butternut Squash Skin? It's important to note that while many people choose to remove butternut squash skin (and this is best practice for soup making, where you want smooth results), you can 100% eat roasted butternut squash skin. Slice butternut squash into crescents and roast it with the skin on.

You can either roast butternut squash in its skin, halved, or cut into wedges. It can be served stuffed as a stunning main, as a simple side dish, stirred into risottos, pasta or salads, or blitzed into a soup. By peeling and dicing, the cubes of squash will become more caramelised, with plenty of texture.

“It's definitely OK to eat squash skin,” Rayna Joyce, vegetable production manager at Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne, Vermont, told me. “Some (winter) squash have really delicate skins and they become tender when cooked. You can bake them and eat the whole thing.”

You don't have to peel it before roasting. That's right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you're going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it's hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven.