Butternut Squash Noodles with Pumpkin Sage Sauce

Move over zoodles, Butternut Squash Noodles have arrived. Add in a rich and savory Pumpkin Sage Sauce, and you have a deliciously fun and tasty vegetarian meal. No meat required.

This post and photos were first shared on Home Sweet Homestead on 9/25/16. The info has been updated, the delicious recipe is still the same.
The month of October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. So if you've been wanting to incorporate more veggies in your diet, or actually become a full-fledged vegetarian, then you've come to the right place.

Butternut squash and pumpkin doesn't have to be prepared with sugar and spice, and everything nice... (Who remembers that little nursery rhyme?) for it to taste good. Roasted butternut squash noodles, which are plenty sweet enough on their own when roasted, are blanketed in a rich and creamy pumpkin sauce, that's full of savory flavor tinged with the earthy goodness of fresh sage.

The sweet butternut squash pairs perfect with the earthy and creamy sauce which is a breeze to throw together! And the best part? The pumpkin sauce is rich and luxuriously creamy without any cream, and has a slightly cheesy taste, all while being vegan!

For a little crunch and protein kick, stir in a sprinkling of pine nuts if you'd like. Another protein option? Cooked white beans! They would go perfectly with the butternut/sage yumminess happening in this recipe.

You'll get a filling and comforting dish, that won't leave you missing the meat at all!


Printable recipe

Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles with Pumpkin Sage Sauce

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Sage Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

For the Butternut Squash Noodles
1 large butternut squash, peeled and spiralized
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

For the Sauce
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until tender.
Transfer onions and garlic to a blender, and add the pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, sage leaves, nutritional yeast and salt.
Blend until sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. Set aside.

For the Noodles
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the butternut squash noodles out on the baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time, or until butternut squash is no longer crunchy, but still slightly firm (al dente). (Check the noodles after 8 minutes to make sure they don't overcook. They can become mushy within a minute or two).
Transfer noodles to a large mixing bowl. Heat sauce in the same pan you sauteed the onions and garlic in, over medium heat until warmed through. Pour sauce over noodles, and toss gently to coat.


April's tips:

• Want to give this dish a little kick? Add 1/8 teaspoon, or to taste, of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Looking for a little crunch? Stir in a sprinkling of pine nuts for crunch, as well as a boost of protein. Another good source of vegan protein that would go well in this dish? Cooked white beans!
• If you don't have a spiralizer like mine, you can use a julienne slicer to achieve a similar effect.

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