Roasted spaghetti squash was something that I tried when I was 14 and my entire family was doing Atkins. Carbs like pasta were not an option, so spaghetti squash was one of the alternatives.
Back then, I liked it enough.
Now, I love it. It really is a great option to have. Though it takes longer to make than boiling a pot of water, it's much lighter than pasta, meaning you can indulge on a heavier sauce or a nice hunk of garlic bread.
The squash is great with any kind of sauce, but I would recommend tossing it with a tomato sauce and herbs or a fresh pesto. It's a sweet vegetable, so don't shy away from using spice!
Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Yield: serves 2 (large portions) or 4 (side portions)Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt, pepper, rosemary & thyme to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds in the center.
- Lay the squash on a baking sheet hollow side up. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. (Substituting oregano and parsley or even something like cilantro and chipotle powder would also be great. Use whatever you prefer!)
- Bake for about an hour, or until the edge of the squash looks roasted and the inside is fork-tender. If the squash starts to burn on the outside but isn't fork tender, cover it with foil until it finishes cooking.
- When the spaghetti squash is finished roasting, carefully use a fork and scrape the squash. Strands of squash should come away from the shell easily. (If it doesn't, the squash might not be done yet.)
Serve the roasted spaghetti squash by itself or with your favorite pasta accompaniments. I love mine with spiced zucchini apple meatballs.