Thursday, June 2, 2016

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Click HERE to order our new cookbook, The Chubby Vegetarian: 100 Inspired Vegetable Recipes for the Modern Table (Susan Schadt Press, November 2016). The recipe below is featured in the book!

Yeah, we make this all the time. Crazy that we're just now sharing the recipe with you! It's really cool to use spaghetti squash as a stand-in for pasta in this dish. We figured out that you need a chunky sauce since the 'noodles' are thin, white beans are a really good, nutritious addition, and whole heads of roasted garlic make for an excellent pseudo-side dish. Oh, and the method we've figured out in the recipe below ensures that you're not going to end up with a watery squash.

Sometimes we add some greens to go on the side. Sometimes we just decide to have regular old pasta because it's quicker. But this, if you have a little extra time to cook one night this weekend, is really worth making.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 

1 large spaghetti squash

2 large heads garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 large shallot (diced) 
1 medium red pepper (diced)
2 medium carrots (sliced)
2 medium ribs celery (sliced)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (like Penzey's)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (drained)
1 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted diced tomato

2 1-ounce slices provolone cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a large knife and an abundance of caution, slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds by scraping them out with a spoon. Discard the seeds. 

Cut the top 1/3 off of each head of garlic. Drizzle the inside of the two halves of the squash and the cut side of the heads of garlic with 1 tablespoon of  the olive oil. Season squash with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap the heads of garlic in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Place the spaghetti squash cut-side-up next to the foil-wrapped garlic and place it all into the oven. Bake for 3o minutes or until the squash begins to turn golden brown at the edges. While the squash cooks, assemble and cook the sauce. 

Into a large frying pan over hight heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the shallot, red pepper, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to brown. Add the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and wine. Cook until vegetable have softened and wine has reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes. Stir to incorporate and reduce heat to a simmer. The sauce should chunky. This gives the dish some great texture. 


Remove the squash from the oven and scrape the spaghetti squash up with a fork. This is easily done with a cooked squash. You'll notice that as you scrape, the squash comes up in tiny ribbons like pasta, hence the name! Season the squash with salt and pepper. Divide the sauce between the two halves and cover each with a slice of provolone. The heat from the sauce will melt the cheese, but feel free to place it under a broiler for a minute or two on high to get it melty and bubbly. Garnish squash with chopped parsley and serve alongside the roasted garlic. We love to add a few cloves of roasted garlic for extra flavor as we enjoy the dish. (Serves 2.)


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