(2018) La Casa Italian Grill’s Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Vegetables and Marinara Sauce

We ran this recipe for spaghetti squash in the AJC last year and it’s absolutely delicious. Probably you’re already doing something like this, but this might inspire a small tweak in your own recipe. I’m making this tomorrow, but using the slicer tomatoes from the box. They’ll work fine, just be a little more “saucy” than Romas.

Spaghetti Squash with Squash Seed Broth

I was surprised to see a spaghetti squash in this week’s box, but it’s a great chance to share this recipe from Steven Satterfield of Miller Union and his cookbook, “From Root to Leaf.” Fresh turmeric and ginger are still available at your local farmers market. Typical of Satterfield, he uses every bit of the squash.

Curry Spaghetti Squash Cakes

Hilary White of The Hil at Serenbe demonstrated this recipe at the Morningside Farmers Market last year. To cook your spaghetti squash, she recommends preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Split the squash in half and place it on a rimmed baking sheet with a little bit of water. Bake it until it’s tender, remove from the oven and cool. Then she takes out the seeds, and scrapes the squash with a fork to release the “spaghetti.” And then she squeezes the spaghetti in a dish towel to remove excess moisture.

Spaghetti Squash Pie 2

Yay – spaghetti squash!

Here’s your plan of attack. Wash it. Cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and strings as you would any squash and cook. Microwave: arrange the halves in a microwave-proof dish and lightly cover with waxed paper and cook at high for about 6 minutes. Test squash – it’s done when squash is softened and flesh can be separated into “noodles” using a fork. Oven: arrange halves on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down and bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes. Same test for doneness. In either case, let squash cool slightly before separating into strands.

Now – use the no-cook pasta sauce above and you have a low-carb dinner, or try something completely different and bake a pie.

This is a recipe I tested for the AJC. It comes from a friend for whom this is an old family favorite.

Spaghetti Squash Pie

Using spaghetti squash in a sweet dish might be a surprise, but try this recipe from Vicky Murphy. It will remind you of a chess pie with a twist. “A friend shared [the recipe] with me back in the late 1970s when I first became aware of the squash. You can use almond flavoring or probably most any flavoring you like. I like to serve it with low-cal whipped cream, from the can, not the good stuff, to keep it as low calorie as possible,” Murphy said. She also said you can vary the amount of flavoring up to 2 tablespoons.

If your spaghetti squash provides more “noodles” than needed, toss the remainder in vinaigrette with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil for a quick mock pasta entree.