Spaghetti Squash Side Dish

Above: a whole and cut in half spaghetti squash in it's raw state.

Vegetarian Side Dish

My daughter decided to become a vegetarian two years ago. I am always looking for vegetarian recipes that I think she will enjoy. Our local grocery stores carry spaghetti squash, so I decided to purchase one a few months ago and now make this dish quite often.

Above: spaghetti squash waiting to go in the oven.

I like to sprinkle a bit of freshly ground black pepper, course sea salt and Chinese five spice powder, or nutmeg over the squash before baking it in the oven. I have tried serving spaghetti squash with tomato sauce but didn't care for it. I will stick to regular pasta to serve along with tomato sauce. Spaghetti squash, like most squashes, has a slightly sweet taste and is complimented with a variety of sweet spices such as Chinese five spice powder, nutmeg and allspice.

Above: sprinkle each squash half with a bit of salt, pepper and Chinese five spice.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chinese five spice powder
• Butter

Above: let cooked spaghetti squash cool a bit before scraping out the interior.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half.
3. Use a large metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp, just like you would clean a pumpkin before carving it.
4. Spray a large baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
5. Place the spaghetti squash, flesh side up, on the bottom of the pan.
6. Brush each half of the squash with a bit of oil.
7. Sprinkle each squash half with black pepper, salt and Chinese five spice powder.
8. Place the squash in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the squash. You want to cook the spaghetti squash until it is tender.
9. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool slightly.
10. Use a large fork to scrape the squash out of it's shell. It should pull apart into short strings which look a bit like spaghetti.
11. Add the squash to a mixing bowl and add a tablespoon or two of butter or margarine.
12. Taste the squash and add additional salt, pepper and Chinese five spice powder if necessary.
13. Serve immediately.
14. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Above: cooked spaghetti squash will pull apart into short, spaghetti-like strands.

Above: add a bit of butter or margarine to the cooked spaghetti squash then place in an attractive serving dish.

 

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva