The title of this post says it all… today, I’m going to show you, step-by-step, how to spiralize a butternut squash. Many of you asked me for a tutorial after Monday’s and Tuesday’s post, and I’m happy you did!
To start off, let’s make sure we are spiralizing the right shape of butternut squash. As I mentioned on Monday, choose a butternut squash that is as evenly cylindrical as possible. Big bulbous bottoms are not favorable here. Ha, I chuckled to myself writing that sentence. Tehe. The bottoms of the squashes (where they get wider) are where the seeds are and that part cannot be spiralized. The picture at the top of this post is the ideal size for spiralizing.
Once you’ve got your squash, cut the bulbous end off.
Next, cut off the opposite end of the part of the squash you will be using.
Now, peel the squash, trying to get rid of all the green parts so that the tough outer skin is completely removed. I’m not going to sugar coat this part, it’s obnoxious. It takes a little bit of time (about 5 minutes) and you may have to peel multiple layers off before the orange inside skin pops through.
This vegetable is now about 6 inches long. You’re going to want to cut it in half to about 3 inches to make it easier to spiralize, like you would with any vegetable. The pen is for perspective, obviously.
Time to spiralize! Load one of the halves into the spiralizer. Press the teeth of the handle into the squash so that it is secure. When you spiralize, use the bottom handle for leverage and push while you crank the other handle.
There you have it, the tutorial is done. You’re ready to prepare your butternut squash noodles! That 3″ piece of the squash yields this many noodles (about enough to serve 2):
Lastly, keep in mind that butternut squash noodles are firmer than zucchini noodles. They take longer to cook in a skillet (about 5-7 minutes to soften).
UPDATE: Another way to cook the noodles is to roast them at 400 degrees for 5 minutes before putting them in with a sauce. The sweetness comes out more!
Other than that, you’re ready to go!
Do you have any other question about spiralizing a butternut squash? Was this tutorial helpful?
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