Spaghetti Squash with Sauteed Veggies
Get ready to squash this recipe!
Spaghetti squash, like many nutrient-dense foods that are low calorie, are a fantastic way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and remain full even on a calorie deficit. But who said it had to be boring? This recipe is flavourful, incorporating a wide range of veggies and is great for meal prep. You can even add chicken or another meat product to pack it full of protein.
Spaghetti Squash with Sauteed Veggies
Section 1: Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out and discarded
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
½ teaspoon granulated onion
¾ teaspoon granulated garlic, divided use
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 onion, cut in half and sliced thinly into semi-circles
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole
4 large cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press
Small squeeze of lemon (about 1-2 teaspoons)
2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup navy or great northern beans (from a can, drained and rinsed)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, vegan or regular (optional)
Section 2: Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°, line a medium baking sheet with foil, and lightly mist with cooking spray.
On a work surface, drizzle about 2 tablespoons worth of the olive oil over both of the cut-sides of the spaghetti squash halves, then sprinkle over a generous amount of salt (squash needs it!), black pepper, the ½ teaspoon of granulated onion, ½ teaspoon of the granulated garlic, plus the Italian seasoning, equally.
Place the two squash halves cut-side down onto the baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a small paring knife and tender.
While the spaghetti squash roasts, make your toasted breadcrumbs: add the panko breadcrumbs to a small bowl, add a sprinkle of salt, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic, plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and use a fork to combine. Place a small pan over high heat, and once hot, add the seasoned crumbs to it, stirring constantly until golden-brown and toasted, about 1-2 minutes; set the toasted breadcrumbs aside.
Once the spaghetti squash has baked, allow it to cool (cut-side up now) for about 20-25 minutes; once cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the squash flesh downwards away from the skin, fluffing it a bit to create the spaghetti strands. Scrape most of the flesh from each shell, leaving just a little bit around the edges to help maintain the shape of the shell, and place the scraped spaghetti squash strands into a large bowl to hold. Reserve the shells.
To prepare your sauteed veggies, place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (I use my cast iron skillet for this), add a good amount of olive oil to it, and add in the sliced onions with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Allow those onions to caramelize for about 12 minutes, stirring them frequently, until golden; once golden, drizzle in the balsamic and stir to combine, then remove the onions from the pan and place into a bowl to hold.
To that same pan, add in a touch more oil as needed, then add the sliced mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms until golden-brown, about 7 minutes, then remove those from the pan and add to the onions to hold.
Now to the pan add the cherry tomatoes along with the small squeeze of lemon, and cook those for a few minutes until blistered, softened and beginning to break down and become juicy; once broken down, add in the garlic, stir until aromatic, then add back into the pan the onions and mushrooms, plus the spinach and the white beans, and stir to combine, adding more olive oil as needed to create a silky consistency.
Turn off the heat under the sauteed veggies, check to see if any additional salt/pepper is needed, then add the spaghetti squash strands into the pan, gently tossing with tongs to combine them very well with all of the delicious sauteed veggies.
To serve, divide the spaghetti squash/veggie mixture equally between the two reserved squash shells, sprinkle over some of the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley, plus some parmesan cheese (if using), and serve hot. (You can serve 1 full, stuffed spaghetti squash half per person, or cut each in half to make 4 smaller portions.)
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