Looking for a healthy tasty side, vegetarian main, and/or pasta substitute? I have just the recipe for you! This Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Seed Pesto satisfies all your pasta cravings ~ roasted spaghetti squash, a traditional-ish basil parmesan pesto, and more parm on top (plant-based or dairy option).
If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash, this may just be your new favorite vegetable. And if you’re a pesto fan, you’ll love the combo of the squash with the Pumpkin Seed Pesto.
Spaghetti squash gets its name from the spaghetti-like strands once its cooked. Which means its as versatile as pasta so the possibilities for this winter squash are endless!
This squash gets its name from the spaghetti-like strands
To cook the squash, I recommend to scrub the skin clean, then halve lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a fork, then drizzle halves with a little extra-virgin avocado or olive oil (not too much) and salt & pepper to taste. Roast squash at 425°, cut sides up, until tender enough to remove in “spaghetti” strands, which takes about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your squash.
You can roast the halves and enjoy simple with only olive, salt & pepper. Or you can give it the pasta treatment with your sauce of choice.
Enter my Pumpkin Seed Pesto recipe. Which is just like traditional pesto, but made with pumpkin seeds in place of the pine nuts. Get my recipe here.
Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Not a pesto fan? There are numerous ways to enjoy spaghetti squash, and you can even serve it in the skin as “boats”.
Try spaghetti squash any number of ways:
- make “baked ziti” style boats, baked with tomato-basil sauce and mozzarella
- give it the Mexican treatment with black beans, salsa and almond “queso”
- turn it into pizza boats with red sauce, your favorite toppings and cheese
- make it a as Mediterranean side with cannellini beans, olives and herbs
- toss with spaghetti noodles and sauce to sneak veggies in
- whip up a Thai peanut sauce for an Asian inspired dish
- serve it as a simple side with olive oil, salt & pepper
- top it with meatballs (lentil or meat)
- add it to a casserole
Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
To serve this recipe, I like to stir the pesto in while the squash is still warm, then top with extra pumpkin seeds (for crunch) and more parm. And if you are dairy-free like me, try the Just Like parmesan. It’s dairy-free vegan and is delish!
Violife Foods also makes a great vegan feta, which has a goat cheese like flavor.
Dairy or non-dairy, cheese or no cheese, I bet you’ll like this dish if you make it. So if you try my recipe let me know how it turns out! You can tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below.
Like this dish? Don’t miss these…
Avocado Pesto Pasta (vegan, GF)
Zoodles with Basil Almond Pesto (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 1 spaghetti squash halved lengthwise and seeds removed
- 1-2 tsp extra virgin avocado or olive oil
- to taste salt & pepper
- 1 recipe Pumpkin Seed Pesto see blog post for recipe link!
Ingredients
|
|
- heat oven to 425°, line a sheet pan with parchment paper
- drizzle cut side of squash halves with a little oil, then season with salt & pepper
- roast squash halves, cut side up, until tender and squash has "spaghetti“ strands, about 45 minutes; if you like yours more al dente and/or if your squash is on the smaller side start checking doneness at 30 minutes
- once cooked to your liking, remove squash from each half with a fork and discard skins, OR you can serve in cooked skins as “boats”; either way stir in Pumpkin Seed Pesto while squash is still warm (pesto recipe on blog!), then top with extra pumpkin seeds and grated parm if desired
Recipe serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com