Butternut Noodles Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe means “cheese and pepper” in Italian dialects, and we can’t think of a tastier way to serve up a side dish of spiralized butternut squash. For the best noodles, look for squash with long necks and smaller bulbs. We use Parmesan and Grana Padano cheese for more flavor, but you can use just Parmesan if you prefer.
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Ingredients
- 2 butternut squashes (about 3½ lb total), ends trimmed, peeled (or substitute for 6 cups packaged butternut squash noodles)
- 6 tbsp organic unsalted butter, divided
- ¼ tsp sea salt + additional to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp lemon zest
Preparation
- Spiralize squashes: Cut necks off squashes and cut each in half crosswise. (Reserve bulbous ends of squash for another use.) Using a thin spaghetti blade in a spiral maker, spiralize squash chunks. (TIP: If noodles are very long, trim with kitchen shears to desired length.)
- In a large skillet on medium, melt 4 tbsp butter. Add noodles and salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. (NOTE: To prevent browning, reduce heat and add water 1 tbsp at a time, if needed.) Remove skillet from heat; stir in remaining 2 tbsp butter, Parmesan, Grana Padano, pepper and lemon zest. Season with additional salt, if desired.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/6 of recipe
- Calories 226
- Carbohydrate Content 17 g
- Cholesterol Content 40 mg
- Fat Content 15 g
- Fiber Content 2 g
- Protein Content 6 g
- Saturated Fat Content 9 g
- Sodium Content 242 mg
- Sugar Content 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g