This recipe presents butternut squash re-imagined with a touch of spring! Formed into noodles and combined with crispy green asparagus, the only thing that can make this dish better is a spoonful of cool pesto (so we included that, too!). For this recipe, choose a butternut squash with a straight, evenly shaped long end and a smaller bulbous part, which is where the seeds are. Toss noodles with garlic and slivered sun-dried tomato for a light meal that will make your family say “YUM!”
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 lbs. butternut squash
1-1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. coconut oil or avocado oil
1 leek, trimmed & thinly sliced
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
1 tsp. natural salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained & thinly sliced into strips
1/4-1/2 cup pesto
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Trim stem end and bulbous end off butternut squash (save bulbous end for future use). Peel skin off the long cylindrical part of butternut squash.
- Using a spiralizer, process peeled end of squash into noodle shape and place on large baking pan.
- Pour 1 cup vegetable stock over squash and bake for 20-25 minutes until squash is tender-crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat; add oil, leeks (white parts only) and asparagus and sauté for a few minutes. Season with salt and garlic. Pour on remaining vegetable stock. Cover and steam for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, pesto and reserved butternut squash noodles to sauté pan; toss to combine.
- Add additional seasonings to taste.
- To serve, distribute butternut squash noodles evenly in bowls with an additional dollop of pesto on top.
Tip from the chef: For this dish, I prefer using a spiralizer that forms fettuccine-shaped noodles for this dish.
