Summer Squash Noodles

If you haven’t jumped on the vegetable noodle bandwagon there’s no time like the present. These easy-to-make Summer Squash Noodles are a nice change of pace and are a healthy pasta or noodle alternative.

We also love zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash for a low-carb noodle option.

You can mix these yellow squash noodles with this Homemade Peanut Sauce for a tasty stir fry, or this Homemade Marinara Sauce for a light pasta meal, or add them to this Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce for a non-traditional pasta alfredo. Basically anywhere you would use regular pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash, you can swap in summer squash noodles. 

If you have an abundance of summer squash in your garden this year, you'll also want to make this Grilled Yellow Squash and Roasted Parmesan Summer Squash.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Veggie noodles with summer squash are one of our favorites for just a few reasons.

• Easy to prepare: It really is quite simple to make summer squash noodles and they cook up faster than traditional noodles.
• Change of pace: We all need a little variety in what we eat so these noodles are the perfect swap for spaghetti, and soba or udon noodles.
• Versatile: You can use these noodles in a pasta dish, in a soup, in a salad,  or a side dish. Use these anywhere you would use a noodle to sneak in extra veggies.

Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here’s what you need to make summer squash noodles.

• Summer squash: We used yellow squash but you can use zucchini, butternut squash, carrots, cucumber, or sweet potatoes to make vegetable noodles.
• Olive Oil: We use extra virgin olive oil but any kind of oil will work.
• Salt and pepper: Add salt and pepper to your taste preference.

How To Make Squash Noodles

There are a few ways you can make squash noodles so choose the method that works best for you.

• With a spiralizer: Place the summer squash in the spiralizer and spiralize it. Some spiralizers have different settings so make sure to set it to the thickness you are looking for.
• With a mandolin: Using a mandolin, slice the squash into long, thin strips and then cut the strips into noodles. The strips should measure about ⅓ inch wide. Be careful as mandolin blades are very sharp.
• With a vegetable peeler: For thicker and flatter noodles, simply use a vegetable peeler to make thin strips of summer squash. For thinner noodles, cut the squash into long thin planks. Then use the peeler along the width of the plank to make long thin noodles.

How To Cook The Squash Noodles

The easiest way to cook these noodles is in boiling water or in a skillet. Make sure not to overcook the noodles or they can get really soggy. 

• Boil: Add the noodles to boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain well.
• Saute: Saute the noodles lightly in water for 3-4 minutes. They can also be sauteed in olive oil.

Health Benefits Of Using Squash Noodles

• Low carb: Summer squash is low in carbohydrates so they are a good option if you are following a low-carb or keto diet or if you just want a lighter meal.
• High fiber: These squash noodles are a good source of fiber.
• Rich in vitamins and minerals: Summer squash is a good source of Vitamins A and C as well as potassium.
• Low calorie: Squash noodles are much lower in calories compared to grain-based noodles.

Ways To Serve Yellow Squash Noodles

Here are just a few ways you can serve these veggie noodles with summer squash.

• In a soup: Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup, Minestrone Soup, or this Sausage, White Bean, and Spinach Soup.
• In a salad: Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad, One Pot Caprese Salad, or this Ranch BLT Pasta Salad.
• In a pasta dish: Creamy Ricotta Zucchini Noodles, Asian Zucchini Noodles, One Pot Mushroom Pasta, or these Peanut Noodles.

How To Store Summer Squash Noodles

If you made a batch of noodles, here’s how to store them.

• Fridge: Summer squash noodles will keep for 7 days in the fridge.
• Freezer: Freeze squash noodles for up to 3 months. It is best to freeze them before cooking them so they don’t get too soggy.
• Thaw: Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Boil for 3-4 minutes or saute to heat.

Tips For Making Summer Squash Noodles

Here are a few things you can do to make sure your squash noodles work out well.

• Choose thick, evenly-sized squash. This makes for a more consistently sized noodle that is easier to work with.
• Peel thicker-skinned vegetables. Some squash have thicker skins than others so make sure to peel the thicker-skinned ones like butternut squash before spiralizing. There is no need to peel summer squash, zucchini, or carrots.
• If you are in a bind, you can always pick up a bag of fresh spiralized veggie noodles at the grocery store. Most stores carry a few different kinds. You can find them in the produce section. Just boil or saute to soften them.