RECIPE: Butternut squash gets pulled pork treatment with these vegan sandwiches
Grocery stores offer more shortcuts than ever for hurried home cooks. In addition to prepared to-go foods, ingredients are available sliced or diced and ready to cook. You can purchase everything from hard-boiled eggs to cooked pasta. And some pre-packaged foods get fancy treatment, such as “riced” cauliflower and spiralized squash noodles, which have gained popularity among those who adhere to Keto and low-carb diets.
I appreciate the health benefits of spiralized veggie noodles — and the convenience of packaged ones, but I don’t think they are a satisfactory replacement for pasta. However, they can be successfully utilized in a dish with great results. It just takes some imagination.
Butternut squash pairs wonderfully with a tangy barbecue sauce and a kiss of heat from the blend of spices in a dry rub. That makes it a terrific candidate as a substitute for pulled pork.
Traditional pulled pork is often made from the shoulder of a pig, often called a Boston Butt. The meat is cooked for hours until the meat falls off — or is pulled off — the bone in strips or shreds. In this recipe, the butternut squash is quickly roasted until just tender.
There is no way anyone would ever confuse the taste and mouthfeel of pulled pork with butternut squash, but it still makes for a great barbecue sandwich. Add a couple of store-bought ingredients, and this recipe gives grab-and-go a whole new meaning.
- 20 ounces prepackaged fresh (not frozen) butternut squash noodles
- 1 tablespoon your preferred barbecue dry rub
- 1 cup plus more for serving your preferred store-bought barbecue sauce
- 1 cup store-bought coleslaw, for serving
- 4 toasted buns, for serving
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking sheet or spray with nonstick spray. Place the prepared noodles on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle dry rub over noodles. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the barbecue sauce in a saucepan or the microwave.
- Remove noodles from the oven. Add barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Spoon equal portions of the squash onto the bottom half of the toasted buns. Top each with 1/4 cup coleslaw. Add top half of buns. Serve immediately, with additional barbecue sauce on the side to add as desired. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 404 calories (percent of calories from fat, 20), 7 grams protein, 75 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 9 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 947 milligrams sodium.Virginia Willis is a Food Network Kitchen chef, James Beard Award-winning food writer, and cookbook author. Follow her at virginiawillis.com.
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