Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach and Ricotta

These garlicky butternut squash noodles are tossed with wilted spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and dollops of fresh ricotta and parmesan for a wintry, one-pan, comforting vegetarian meal. 

It’s day 5 of tacos, guacamole, margaritas, mojitos, chalucas (a drink our poolside bartender made up which is basically a mojito with cucumbers and gin instead of rum), and a never-ending quest for churros (we still haven’t found them but we’ve been told where to find the churro lady in downtown so I have high hopes) and here I am having to pretend like it’s winter again and talk to you about butternut squash noodles.

Ugh, life is hard.

We went to Crossfit Norcal Cabo for a little sweat sesh to break up the booze and food fest yesterday morning.

This (very nice) lady there asked us where we were from.

We all said New York in unison and then she said “oh, ok, but where do you live in the winter?”

Ha.

Hahahaha.

Can you imagine being so rich that that becomes a question you ask people and think it’s the norm?

Good god, I want her life.

Just so you know, she lives in Napa during the summer when not at her home here in Cabo.

I didn’t know whether to roll my eyes, bust out laughing or just succumb to the jealousy of that (incredibly nonchalant) statement when she told us.

So while I wish I had her life and wasn’t in the freezing cold just 6 days ago, piling wood in the stove to keep my house warm, I was and these garlicky butternut squash noodles were being made for a comforting, healthy dinner.

I shared my first spiralizer recipe with you guys just last week with these Chinese chicken noodles and I’m sharing these butternut squash noodles today.

This spiralizer is basically my new favorite tool even though I’m approximately 10 years late to the game with it. You can make pretty much any veggie noodle you can dream of with it.

Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer

$34.99 $27.99

Make vegetable noodles with ease with a spiralizer! 5 different blades allows for varying thickness for each dish.

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12/01/2023 09:12 pm GMT

If you’re not roasting butternut squash and making butternut squash hummus or butternut squash goat cheese dip, these noodles are a delicious option and a fun change of pace from how you typically enjoy a butternut squash.

If you’d rather roast and stuff your butternut squash, try using the recipe for this stuffed honeynut squash with a butternut instead.

You’ll have to roast a little longer than 25 minutes but the filling is a great seasonal option.

Cooked with lots of delicious garlic until just softened, these butternut squash noodles are tossed with wilted spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and dotted with fresh ricotta.

It’s almost like a winter-vegetable version of lasagna (similar to these creamy pesto spaghetti squash noodles) in a deconstructed skillet variety and it’s beyond delicious and comforting.

Reading this in the summer? Try this simple and fresh lemon ricotta pasta instead.

I’d still rather be in Cabo, sipping margs and eating tacos but since we all can’t live that life 24/7 365, I guess I’ll settle for a bowl of these garlicky butternut squash noodles for now.

Love this Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles recipe?

Try other butternut squash recipes like Barley Butternut Squash Salad, Creamy Sage Butternut White Bean Gnocchi, Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Dip with Tart Cherry Compote and Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups with Chicken and Spinach.

Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach and Ricotta

Author: Gina Matsoukas

These garlicky butternut squash noodles are tossed with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and ricotta for a wintry, one-pan vegetarian meal.

4.7 from 17 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 lemon zested
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Slice off the bulbous end of the butternut squash to remove the seeds and set aside for another use. Peel the remaining portion and slice off the top so you have two flat ends. Spiralize into noodles. (I use blade D on the Inspiralizer)
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Set nuts aside.
• In same skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 
• Add the butternut squash and gently toss to coat in the garlic and olive oil. Add a splash of water to the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes until noodles are softened a bit.
• Remove lid, add the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice and baby spinach to the skillet. Toss to combine and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer noodles to a serving bowl. Dollop the ricotta on top. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese.

Equipment

• Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1SERVING | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 470mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Cuisine American

Course Main Dishes

Keyword butternut squash noodles, garlic butternut squash noodles, gluten-free

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Gina Matsoukas

About

Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.