Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan
It is a vegetable… but it looks like spaghetti. If you haven’t tried spaghetti squash before, you are in for a real treat.
Start with one whole spaghetti squash. Rinse it under cold water. (Yes, I know you won’t be eating the skin but you should always rinse the outside of produce that will be cut with a knife. It helps to reduce the risk that the knife will carry pathogens from the outer portion to the inner edible flesh when you slice it open.)
Next, slice it open lengthwise (it is hard so use a good knife and be careful). Then scrape out the seeds. I use a grapefruit spoon or melon baller but a regular spoon will work also.
I usually bake it in the oven but it can also be microwaved (see below). I just toss it in the oven when I am baking something else to save time and energy.
Turn the two halves face down in a baking dish. Pour water into the dish until it is about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Cover the entire dish with foil tightly so it will steam. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes or until a knife inserted through the skin meets little resistance.
When it is done, let it cool 10-15 minutes until it can be handled easily. (This is why I usually do it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator.) Remove from the water and turn cut side up. Use a fork to easily scrape the strands into spaghetti. How cool is that!
There are various ways to serve it from here. My favorite is with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and Parmesan.
In a large saute pan, warm 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tsp. minced garlic for about 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the cooked spaghetti squash and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Toss to combine well and transfer to a serving dish. Return the pan to medium heat and saute some chopped tomatoes (I used quartered grape tomatoes because they are sweet), fresh chopped basil, and a pinch of salt for about 30 seconds to warm through. Spoon the tomato basil mixture over the spaghetti squash and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
*Microwave instructions: Start with a whole spaghetti squash and rinse it. Pierce the skin with a sharp knife 5-6 times. IMPORTANT: Make sure that the holes are big enough for steam to escape or the squash will explode in the microwave… I have seen it before and it is not pretty. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until a knife inserted through the skin meets little resistance. Let cool until it can be handled. Cut open lengthwise and scrape the strands into spaghetti as shown above.
Spaghetti squash is a really tasty vegetable side dish. I guess it is worth mentioning that it is over 90% water and is a low energy density food. It fills you up without a lot of calories. A generous one cup portion of spaghetti squash only contains around 40 calories (compared with cooked spaghetti which has over 200 calories per cup).