I’m a girl who loves her kitchen tools. I’m crazy for my food processor, I smile every time I use my switchit spatula, and I’m totally into tiny bowls. Two weeks ago, I added a new kitchen tool to my collection that I’ve already developed strong feelings for. Who knew such an inexpensive gizmo in an unassuming box would be so mind-blowing? You know that feeling when you and “that guy/gal you’re dating” finally become Facebook-official? (Note, Lucas and I didn’t become Facebook-official until we got engaged – everything before that wasn’t serious enough;). Well I’m going Facebook-official…err….blog-official about my new love affair with my spiral cutter! It’s a gluten-free eater’s goldmine - especially for one who used to make homemade pasta on the weekly.
You can turn vegetables – zucchini, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, younameit – into pasta in seconds. That’s not an exaggeration – it literally takes seconds. After spending hours hand-cutting zucchini noodles, I figured there must be a way to do this that isn’t so time-intensive. I couldn’t even have imagined what my google search would turn up (I hope for better results than I had with “protocol for passing out candy on Halloween”). The best $30 I’ve ever spent.
For our first date together (the “spiralizer” and I), I put it to the test with a hefty butternut squash. I topped my sweet soft noodles in a decadent sage and nutmeg brown butter sauce with kale, pine nuts, and fresh parmesan. Zero guilt was felt about rich brown butter pasta because we were eating VEGETABLES. Replacing the traditional wheat noodles with squashoodles not only reduces the carbs significantly, but also allows you to quickly turn your favorite pasta dishes gluten-free (or vegan if you used a different sauce!).
I sound like an infomercial right now, but I promise no one is paying me to rave about my new culinary toy (although, checks are totally welcome ha), I’m just head over heels. As a regular pasta maker, this whole gluten-free thing diminished my recipe repertoire tenfold, but now…NOW I can pull out my old favorite recipes and give them new life without headache repercussions. If I just sold you on buying yourself a spiralizer, this butternut squash recipe is a good one to start with; the noodles are soft, but sturdy and not at all watery (often an issue with zucchini noodles, for example). The flavors are classic, but with a veggie-forward spin, leaving you feeling full and refreshed at the same time.
As many of you know, I’ve been unfailingly eating gluten-free for the past few months - it's been 10 months since I started the experiment, with a couple of months of true experimenting during which I realized that nothing was “worth” getting a headache over. As we traipse around Tokyo, land of more Michelin stars than anywhere else, I’m giving wheat a go and crossing my fingers that I’m headache-free. I feel strongly that I can’t go to Japan without indulging in a serious bowl of ramen. I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out when we return (with plenty of travel pictures:). For now, we're traveling 162 MPH on the bullet train to Kyoto!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 3 cups dino kale, ribs discarded, and leaves ripped into bite-sized pieces
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 tablespoons of fresh sage, finely chopped (about 8 leaves)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Prepare butternut squash: slice off the very top stem, slice the bulb of the squash off and set aside for another use, peel the skin off until the bright orange flesh shows, run the peeled squash through the spiralizer, cutting the noodles every 12-15 inches. Here is a helpful noodle cutting guide with pictures of the process.
- Lay the spiralized butternut squash noodles on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 6 minutes. Increase the oven to broil for another 4 minutes, or until soft (watch carefully - you don't want to burn these).
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the sage and nutmeg, and continue cooking. After the butter foams, it will begin to turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Stir frequently, watching carefully until it just browns. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, add kale and sauté until it softens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Drain the kale through a fine colander and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add butternut squash noodles to bowl with kale, pour the browned butter with sage over the top, add the pine nuts and ½ cup of parmesan, and toss until completely combined.
- Serve with remaining parmesan sprinkled on top.
Alison @Food by Mars -
SO YUM. This looks amazingly filling and tasty - love the fall colors and flavors <3 And don't get me started on spiralizing... it's addicting.
Qing -
Would I be able to substitute greek yogurt for the 6 tablespoons of butter?
Sarah Menanix -
Hi Qing! I've never tried to substitute yogurt for butter in a veggie pasta dish like this. Since the sauce is a brown butter sauce, greek yogurt wouldn't have the same taste and instead would make it creamy and tart. Since I've never tried it, I can't tell you if that would taste equally delicious. If you're looking for a different sauce that isn't butter-based, I'd recommend toasting minced garlic in olive oil before adding the sage and nutmeg for the sauce. Hope this helps!
Jane -
This butternut squash noodle recipe looks like a very simple meal but I think if I'll taste it, it will be really delicious and the squash noodles looks like al dente.
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks Jane! I'm really love the simplicity of using the spiralizer for dinners!
Meg -
I made this tonight. Delicious !! Thanks
Meg -
I made the tonight. Delicious !! Thanks
Sheri -
I just made this tonight, but I used a Yam instead since it's what I had on hand. It was wonderful! This is a delicious recipe!
Erika -
Uh oh...I've managed to get along without a spiralizer for so long, but these look so good and you do such a good job of selling why I NEED one!! Good thing Christmas is coming up, I guess! :) I love your photos + blog layout--so cute! Reminds me a lot of Oh My Veggies--love that blog!
Laura Dembowski -
I can see why you're in love with this tool. These noodles have my mouth watering!
Sue -
so, can I ask what type of spiralizer did you get?
Sarah Menanix -
oh! I totally meant to post that link and completely forgot. Thanks for the reminder. I've added it to the post:) Here's the link to the one I bought.
Sue -
thank you so much, I'm afraid I'm going to have to buy one of those, too.......
Veronica -
Oh My I want a spiralizer.Recipe looks delicious! Have fun on the train!
Coco -
Spiralizer???
Well, I need one now!
Sheri -
I need to buy one of these "gizmos"!! This recipe sounds delicious! Enjoy your ride on the bullet train!!