I don’t have much to say about this one except that you should go eat it now. I really enjoy using butternut squash as a sauce base and this version does not disappoint! Throwing in some spicy Italian sausage and Parmesan cheese certainly doesn’t hurt either 🙂
I also attempted to fry some sage for the first time ever! Initially I took out the sage too early and it was still soft and supple…had to toss it back in the oil to crisp those babies up. They really do add some good flavor to this dish, give it a shot.
You can use whatever sausage you like, although turkey or chicken sausage are typically leaner than pork sausages. This Jennie-O variety is easy and cheap with a relatively low fat content, but I’m sure you can find some much classier sausage to use here.
Baby spinach adds some great color plus a bit of extra protein and nutrition. Chop it up a little before you throw it in so you don’t get any stringy spinach between your teeth as you devour it.
Butternut Squash Zoodles with Spicy Turkey Sausage
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 5 links Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
- 1 lb cubed butternut squash
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 small to medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
- 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
- 6-8 leaves sage
- 3 tbsp olive oil for frying
- 1/2 tbsp Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread with Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add butternut squash to large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 12-15 minutes or until squash is soft. Drain water and blend squash in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat until oil is shimmery. Add sage leaves and fry for about 1 minute, then remove to a paper towel while leaves are still green. Slice sage leaves into thin slices and set aside.
- Soak up most of the olive oil with a paper towel and discard. Add buttery spread and swirl around pan until it is melted. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Remove sausage from casings and crumble into pan, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking and breaking apart sausage until it is mostly cooked through. Drain excess liquid.
- Add butternut squash, baby spinach, sliced sage leaves and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
- Microwave zucchini noodles for 1 1/2 minutes, then add to a large bowl. Add squash and sausage mixture on top of the zucchini noodles, then garnish with remaining sage leaves and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
You can cut down on some of the fat and sodium in this recipe by replacing 2 of the sausage links with 1/2 lb of extra lean ground turkey.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 313kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 21g (7%), Protein: 26g (52%), Fat: 15g (23%), Cholesterol: 91mg (30%), Sodium: 1210mg (53%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 7g (8%)
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