This title is a little misleading. What is more important than noodles?
Exactly.
Fall is here and I am finding my worn path back to the stove. I love that path. It’s been finding respite because this past summer I was making new trails to the grill, to the grass for picnics, to the countertop for cheese plates.
But last week I stepped up to the stove and lit the burner and as it sparked bright I could almost hear it whisper, “You’re back.” I made this crazy savory sausage and green apple saute.
I wanted to share it with you. Come and eat with me?!
But I am getting ahead of myself. First noodles. You all know I am obsessed. OB.SE.SS.ED with the spiralizer. It makes all my pasta dreams come true but I get to use fruit and vegetables that are in season. You can purchase the spiralizer on Amazon for less than $30.00 and you will put it to good use! Promise.
This was my first go at butternut squash noodles. I make sweet potato noodles on the regular but I love butternut squash and I had to give it a go.
We’re going to do this together. First we are going to learn how to make butternut squash noodles.
How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles
Grab a butternut squash at your local grocer. I try to find one with a long neck. Cut the bulb of the butternut squash off. This is at the base of the neck and it is where all the seeds are located. I like to peel the base, remove the seeds, cube up the flesh and freeze it to use later for soups!
But for noodles we only need the neck. Cut the stem off and then cut the neck in half. Peel the skin with a peeler or sharp knife.
Add the noodle attachment to the spiralizer (I use the wide noodle attachment for butternut squash) and insert one of the halves to be spiralized!
Look at those noodles. Everything!
There are a variety of ways to cook the noodles but I like to throw them into the oven for easy clean up. Just line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add your noodles. I give the noodles a drizzle of olive oil and a little pinch of salt and pepper.
Place in the oven set for 400 degrees for up to 10 minutes (but no longer – we do not want mushy noodles).
Now while that bakes we get to make this really lovely savory sausage, apple and kale mixture.
I like to use Italian chicken sausage but you can also use turkey or pork. Also, if you like a little spice I highly recommend using the spicy sausage!
First we need to take the casings off. I slice through the top of the casing and then just turn the sausage inside out into the pan.
Heat a saute pan with a high rim on medium high heat and add coconut oil or oil of your choice. Add the sausage and crumble with a wooden spoon or spatula for about 4 minutes. Just to get it to a place where it is browning.
Add the roughly chopped red onion and green apple.
Saute for additional 4-5 minutes or until the onion and apple begin to soften.
Now for the magical part. The kale! We are going to add 8 oz of kale and we are going to wonder if it is all going to fit.
Mix the kale into the sausage mixture for about 2-3 minutes and watch it shrink before your eyes. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.
Now for the liquid. Apple cider vinegar and kale throw this insane party together. So lovely. But apple cider vinegar can react with a heated pan and smoke so I like to mix my apple cider vinegar into my measured out chicken stock. This eliminates any kind of steaming or smoking. Add the liquid to the pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes until most of the liquid is gone.
Real talk: I have been caught eating this right out of the pan by the spoonfuls.
At this point you want to taste for seasonings. Needs more salt? Pepper? Maybe some heat with red pepper flakes? Go for it.
Remove the noodles from the over and add to the mixture.
Stir to mix together. If the butternut squash is still a little too firm you can add a lid to your pan and steam the noodles for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Serve up! I like to add some shaved Parmesan cheese and a few red pepper flakes to each bowl.
The leftovers are insane!
What is you favorite fall meal to make?!
Pin now to save for later!
Butternut Squash Noodles With Savory Sausage and Green Apple
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 butternut squash (with a long neck)
- 1 & 1/2 lbs Chicken Italian Sausage (or pork sausage)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1 green apple, chopped
- 8 oz. of kale, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
How to Make the Butternut Squash Noodles:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Cut the bulb of the butternut squash off. You can cube this (removing the seeds and skin) and put it in the freezer to save for soup.
- Take the neck of the butternut squash and cut it in half (about 3 inches each). Remove the skin with a peeler or a sharp knife.
- One at a time, place the butternut squash into a spiralizer using the wide noodle attachment.
- Add the noodles onto a rimmed sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the noodles and place in the oven.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes (but no longer – we don’t want mushy noodles).
Sausage Mixture:
- In a sauce pan with a tall rim add oil and heat on medium high.
- Remove sausage casings, to do this I slice through the top of the casings lengthwise and then turn the sausage inside out into the pan. Sauté and crumble the sausage for about 3 minutes.
- Add the onion and green apple and continue to cook for 4 minutes, until the onions and apple start to soften.
- Add the kale. The kale will look like a lot but it will wilt down! Stir into the sausage mixture for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and cook for another minute.
- This step is important. Measure the chicken stock into a measuring cup and then add the apple cider vinegar into the chicken stock and stir. Apple cider vinegar can really react with heat and can steam quite a bit – mixing it in with the chicken stock first will eliminate this. Add the mixture to the pan and stir. Allow to saute for an additional 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the butternut squash noodles to the pan and toss. If the butternut squash noodles are a little more firm than you like, add a lid to the pan and steam the noodles for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Plate up and serve with shaved parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
What temperature do you cook noodles in oven?
Oh, Katherine! I can’t believe I missed adding that important step. 400 degrees in the oven. I will update the recipe. Thank you !! Xoxo