These creamy butternut squash noodles are my ultimate definition of comfort food. The sauce is rich with plenty of parmesan and cream, while the sausage adds the perfect amount of spice and savory flavor. Topped with fresh basil, this recipe is like a hug for your spirit.
Butternut squash noodles are the most undervalued veggie noodle. The texture, the slight sweetness, really everything about them makes a boring dish so much better.
Because they are not as low in carbohydrate as everyone's favorite, zucchini noodles, they don't get the spotlight. But, I am here to tell you that they are worth a couple extra grams of carbs! These noodles are super nutritious and still relatively low in carbohydrate.
Nutrition Info For Butternut Squash
In this recipe I recommend using around 400-500 grams of butternut squash noodles (measured raw). This ensures you will have enough sauce to cover the noodles adequately.
In 100 grams of butternut squash, you will have about 45 calories, 10 net grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein. While eating 400 grams might spike your blood sugar slightly, most people can tolerate 10 grams of net carbs and still maintain very good blood sugar control.
As far as micronutrients go, butternut squash is a powerhouse.
Potassium
There is 352 mg of potassium in just 100 g of butternut squash. Adults need around 4700 mg of potassium each day, and most people eating a conventional diet do not get near that much.
Potassium is extremely important for blood pressure regulation. It works as a buffer in the body, aiding in the prevention of diseases like osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Because potassium is an electrolyte and has a significant role in fluid balance in the body, it is very important to replace when exercising in extreme heat or when following a ketogenic diet.
Potassium also is important for muscle contraction. The heart's rate is regulated by potassium. Inability to clear potassium from the blood, as in kidney disease, can result in an increase in heart rate and even a heart attack. Inadequate potassium can result in the heart slowing or stopping.
Vitamin A
For this serving of butternut squash you will get 213% of your daily value of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. Beta carotene is the precursor to vitamin A found in plants. While vitamin A can be toxic in high doses (much higher than 213% DV), beta carotene is more easily excreted from the body if overconsumed.
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant. It has roles in preventing night blindness and supporting the immune system among many other things.
Vitamin C
In 100 grams of butternut squash you will get 35% daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important nutrient required for tissue repair and collagen production. This vitamin aids absorption of iron and has a role in immune health.
How To Cook Butternut Squash Noodles
You can cook butternut squash noodles a variety of ways. My favorite way to prepare these veggie noodles is to bake them. This really brings out the sweetness and makes them perfectly tender.
I toss the spiralized butternut squash in a couple tablespoons of avocado oil and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
Equipment Needed
- Spiralizer
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Veggie Peeler
- Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Large Frying Pan
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowl
Most equipment needed for this recipe are common kitchen items and utensils. The one unique item is the spiralizer. If you don't have a spiralizer, you could buy precut butternut squash noodles that are available in the produce section.
If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, I cannot recommend the spiralizer attachment enough. It is far superior to every crank option I have tried. Pricey, but totally worth it if you make veggie noodles frequently!
Can I Make This Recipe Keto?
Absolutely! The recipe is already relatively low carb. To make it lower in carb to fit into a keto diet, you can substitute out the butternut squash for zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
When using zucchini noodles, you will not need to cook these noodles as long. You can bake them for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees as you would with the butternut squash noodle. Or, you can throw them right into the sauce and let them cook down slightly. Avoid overcooking as they will make the sauce watery.
If using spaghetti squash, follow these simple instructions to prepare the squash.
To make the sauce even richer, you could add a tablespoon or two of butter. Or add some crispy chopped bacon.
Related Recipes
- Whole30 Italian Sausage
- Keto Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
- Paleo Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
- Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Did you try these Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles? I would love to see your creations! Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or leave a photo comment on Pinterest.
Feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. Feedback is always appreciated! 😊
📖 Recipe
Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles with Sausage and Basil
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Frying pan
- Parchment paper
- Sheet pan
- Spiralizer
Ingredients
- 1 small Butternut Squash (415 g spiralized or 5 cups of noodles)
- 2 tablespoon Avocado oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- ¼ cup Diced yellow onion
- ½ cup Freshly grated parmesan
- ½ cup Freshly grated asiago or more parmesan
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Chicken stock or milk
- ¼ cup Basil finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Fennel seed
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red peppers optional
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Begin by chopping both ends of the butternut squash and removing the bulb. You can save the bulb for another recipe. With the neck only, peel the skin and spiralize. Cut all the noodles into desirable lengths.
- Toss noodles in oil. Spread evenly on sheet pan lines with parchment paper and lightly salt. Cook for 25- 30 minutes, or until tender. Toss halfway through with a pair of tongs.
- While noodles are cooking, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spatula as it browns. Continue to cook until there is no more pink. Remove sausage from the pan and set aside, reserving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
- Finely dice ¼ cup of onion and add to the pan with the sausage fat. Lower the heat slightly. Cook until the onion begins to caramelize. Deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken stock if needed.
- Peel and mince the garlic. Add to the pan with the onion and allow it to cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the cream and chicken stock to the pan and stir together.
- Add the grated cheese and stir as it heats. Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the chopped basil and spices.
- Using the tongs, add the butternut squash noodles to the pan. Toss in the sauce.
- Add the sausage and toss. Taste and season with additional salt if needed (with the sausage and the cheese I don't generally need to add salt). Grate extra parmesan cheese on top if desired. Serve immediately.
Jan T says
This was very good. I used half the amount of sausage because it would have been too rich for us. I couldn't find fresh basil in January, so I used Pensy's Frozen Pizza seasoning...a great blend! and it was delicious.
foodbornewellness.com says
I am so happy you liked it! It is a rich dish with all the sausage, so I am glad you were able to adjust to meet your tastes!
Pam Doolittle says
I have now made these noodles both with butternut and spaghetti squash. The sauce is wonderful. And while ai personally like the sausage better, the bacon is also very tasty!
Consita says
Yum! I love how detailed you recipes are!
Xx consita