And then I realized it wasn’t exactly a blog-worthy recipe … if you could even call that a recipe. Roast your spaghetti squash, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, the end.

I needed to up my game.

But, you know … I didn’t want to up it too much. Because there’s a time and a place (often/most everywhere) for simple. And this recipe for Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash Boats definitely qualifies.

So here’s what we’ve got. Oven-roasted spaghetti squash (you can use your microwave to save time if you like), tossed with the simplest Thai-inspired peanut sauce. Then we scoop it back into the spaghetti squash shells because spaghetti squash boats = fun.

Top those bad boys with peanuts, cilantro, and – if you like – some protein of choice.

Done!

This unbelievably easy spaghetti squash dish is so rich and creamy, with garlic-and-ginger-tinged peanut sauce + crunchy peanuts + a bit of fresh flavor from the cilantro. It makes a great side, but also serves as a perfectly satiating main course.

We also love this one as a one-dish-two-ways situation – it’s super versatile. It’s vegan as-is, or you can add some of your favorite cooked-and-cubed tofu for a bit of added heft (and it’s still vegan!).

For the meat-eaters in the house, either top with or stir in some cooked and chopped chicken.

Shop this pic: Black stoneware serving tray

Simple, satiating spaghetti squash – several styles. (I’ll have you know I worked really hard on making that alliteration happen.)

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The post Simple Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash Boats (3 Ways!) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I thought I was so smart. 

I wanted stuffed spaghetti squash. So I put the chana masala in the Crock Pot. Then I looked at the spaghetti squash on the kitchen counter. And I thought, hmm. I wonder what would happen if I just tucked that spaghetti squash right in there, right on top, instead of cooking it separately?

I wanted my spaghetti squash to stay as pristine and yellow as possible, and I felt like the two should stay segregated, so I laid down some parchment paper, halved the spaghetti squash, removed the seeds, and laid it cut-side down.

It cooked all day. The house smelled glorious. I pulled the spaghetti squash halves out and, voila! Perfectly cooked. Chana masala. Perfectly cooked. I filled the spaghetti squash halves with chana masala, sprinkled them with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon, and I dreamed about he possibilities. Slow Cooker Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Everything! I am brilliant!!!

I test all of my recipes at least twice, and usually more. So I did it again, but this time, and every time after, the spaghetti squash cooked down too much to be stuffed (the outer shell starts to fall apart once it’s cooked for a certain amount of time). So I adjusted my expectations and just began to enjoy that this was still a seriously efficient way to make a fall dinner. No separate spaghetti squash cooking in the oven or microwave. Just plop it right on top to cook, scoop the noodle-like strands out, top it with chana masala goodness, and yeah. Still feeling all smarty-pants and stuff.

And then, I was Pinteresting, minding my own business, and I saw this. And then. Then! This. Grrrrrr.

Well, at least cooking spaghetti squash right in the slow cooker with its toppings is still a brilliant idea, even if I’m not the first to come up with it.

This Slow Cooker Chana Masala with Spaghetti Squash is this, one of my favorite dinner recipes, cooked right with – and then served over – spaghetti squash. I love the heft spaghetti squash lends to the dish, not to mention the added nutrition. Oh, and the deliciousness, of course.

Chickpeas + spaghetti squash. At least that’s smart, right?!

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Okay, so they are squash, so they’re actually not the prettiest things in the world. I mean, can anything called “squash” be pretty? But no matter! I promise you – you won’t care in the slightest.

I’m totally in love with this recipe. It might be the easiest way ever to convert professed squash haters. Spaghetti squash is already a great gateway squash. As long as you don’t go into things expecting an exact replica of pasta, you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised. Firm, almost crunchy strands without that “squashy” taste. It’s pretty great.

With Chili Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, the squash sort of stands in for a bread bowl. Except less carbs. You just roast spaghetti squash halves then fill with chili and cheese, then bake again until melty perfection. That’s pretty much the deal.

As you eat your cheesy chili, you scrape strands of the delicious squash into each forkful. It’s a good thing.

So here’s another cool thing about this dish. I provide a quick and easy chili recipe here, but really, you can use any chili you want. I’ve made it with this Black Bean Pumpkin Chili, for instance, and it was wonderful, though a little strange to eat squash within a squash. Dinner Inception, my guy called it.

So make your favorite chili to stuff in there. Or make use of chili leftovers. Or use canned chili! I won’t tell. Or. Or! Make up a meaty version and a non-meaty version. The individual serving component makes it perfect for doing the One Dish Two Ways thing.

Nope, fancy-pants it’s not. And that’s just the way we like it.

Make-Ahead Tips

These can be assembled up to the point of baking, then refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Just remove from the fridge and bake! You just might need to cook them for a little longer to heat them all the way through. You can also make each component separately beforehand and then quickly assemble and bake for a faster weeknight dinner.

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Yeah, I’ve decided it’s pretty much the most genius food idea ever. Not only is it genius because it works so well, but taking cooked spaghetti squash, tossing it in some good barbecue sauce, and serving it on a toasted bun is seriously, seriously delicious. Delicious and easy. Delicious and easy and brilliant.

I know I’ve already said it’s all those things, but if I don’t continue heaping praise, my burning jealousy for not coming up with the idea myself will shine through.

Yeah, it’s not my original idea, but I did create my own spin on it, and it’s become one of the most popular dual meals in our home.

See, most of the time, my recipes start out as vegetarian, and I add meat at the end for my resident carnivore. I call these “One Dish, Two Ways” because, well, that’s what they are.

But – stating the obvious here, I know – some dishes can’t really start out as vegetarian. Like steak. Or whole roasted chicken. Or, you know, pulled pork.

So, at times like this, when I whip up unabashed hunks of meat for my guy’s main dish, usually I’ll just be happy with a couple of veggie/carb sides, or a Morningstar riblet (surprisingly good) or a frozen veggie burger (several of which, again, are shockingly delicious).

But this time, this time, I get to have my own equally awesome (I would argue better, actually) main. 

Even though I’m making two separate main dishes, these are both very, very easy to pull together. (Har har. “Pull.” Pulled squash and pulled pork. See what I did there? Sorry.)

Seriously though. Easy. Delicious. Try it.

Print

Barbecue Pulled Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches (with Bonus Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Recipe)

Tangy homemade barbecue sauce mixed with tender spaghetti squash and served atop toasted buns, "pulled" sandwich style.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 3- pound spaghetti squash cooked (view the how-to)
• 5 whole-wheat hamburger buns or other rolls of your choice, toasted
• Barbecue Sauce
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups ketchup
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• Liberal pinch of red pepper flakes or more to taste

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for about a minute or until aromatic.
• Add the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently over medium heat until mixture boils.
• Turn heat to low and simmer for about five minutes.
• Scrape the spaghetti squash into a large bowl. Stir in 2/3 cup of the barbecue sauce.
• Toast the rolls then lay them open on individual plates and poon the barbecue pulled spaghetti squash onto each. Serve immediately.
• Reserve the remaining barbecue sauce for later (keeps in the refrigerator for several days) or use the rest for the Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork (recipe below).

Notes

Bonus Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork recipe

Adapted from About.com Southern Food

• One 2 1/2 pound pork butt or shoulder roast
• Two medium onions, halved and sliced
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup water

1. Lay half the onions in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
2. Rinse pork roast and pat dry. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and lay in Crock Pot on top of onions.
3. Lay remaining onions over the roast. Pour in water.
4. Cook on low for 10 hours or until roast shreds easily with a fork.
5. Stir in about 1 1/3 cup barbecue sauce (see recipe above), cover, and cook on low for about 20 more minutes.
6. Serve over toasted hamburger buns or rolls.
7. Makes enough for about five sandwiches.

I've written this recipe as we make it in our house, so the barbecue sauce is enough for the spaghetti squash AND the pulled pork sandwiches. So if you just make one or the other, you may have some sauce left over. If you make both versions like we do, be prepared for a lot of servings - like 10! The good news is, both versions freeze beautifully. We freeze individual portions in freezer bags and pull them out for quick, easy lunches and dinners.

Inspired by The Blooming Platter of Vegan Recipes

The post Barbecue Pulled Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches (with Bonus Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Recipe) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

When I started thinking of spaghetti squash as, well, squash, my relationship with the vegetable took a turn for the better. In fact, now I love the stuff. My favorite way to enjoy spaghetti squash is cooked up simply (either roasted with a little olive oil and kosher salt or via the microwave express), then scraped into a bowl and tossed with coarse salt, fresh-ground black pepper and a good amount of parmesan.

This, however – a version of baked spaghetti with half of the noodles replaced with spaghetti squash – is pretty darn delicious, too.
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Spaghetti squash is versatile, delicious, and healthy. And today, I’m sharing how to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave or in the oven. Two easy methods!

I’m a fan of both methods, but for different reasons.

The main benefit of cooking spaghetti squash in the microwave is, of course, the fact that it’s done in 12 minutes – easy peasy, super quick. And then it’s ready for just about any preparation you’ve dreamed up.

Baking spaghetti squash in the oven takes longer, but the flavors of the squash develop a bit more than when cooked in the microwave. In the oven, the squash caramelizes a bit where it makes contact with the baking sheet (yum) and if you brush with olive oil and sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper before baking, it’s tough to resist just flipping that bad boy over as soon as you remove it from the oven, grabbing a fork, and digging in for dinner (double yum).

Either way you choose to cook it, spaghetti squash rocks, so bake some or microwave some today!

Table of Contents

• Prep Your Spaghetti Squash
• How to Bake Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
• How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
• More Spaghetti Squash Goodness

Prep Your Spaghetti Squash

1. With a very sharp knife, lop off the top or bottom of the squash so that it will stand flat and secure on your cutting board.
2. Slice the squash in half lengthwise.
3. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and guts.

How to Bake Spaghetti Squash in the Oven

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Place cut-sides down on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
5. Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave

1. Place squash cut-sides-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1 inch of water.
2. Microwave on high for about 12 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Cooking time depends on the size of the squash and individual microwaves, so if you have a smaller squash and a microwave that cooks fast, check a little earlier. And if you are cooking a larger squash and have a lower-power microwave, it may take a little longer.
3. Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle.
4. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.

More Spaghetti Squash Goodness

From Kitchen Treaty:

• BBQ Pulled Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches
• Baked Spaghetti & Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• White Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• Chili Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• My Meatless Spaghetti Squash recipes board on Pinterest

Around the web:

• 50 Ways to Cook Spaghetti Squash from Aggie’s Kitchen

Print

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave or in the Oven

It's so easy to cook spaghetti squash. Here's exactly how to do it, two different ways: in the oven or in the microwave!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 93kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• Sharp, heavy chef's knife
• Rimmed baking sheet (for cooking in the oven)
• Large microwave-safe baking dish (for the microwave method)

Ingredients

• 1 whole medium spaghetti squash
• 2 teaspoons olive oil for baked version
• Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

• With a very sharp knife, lop off the top or bottom of the squash so that it will stand flat and secure on your cutting board. Slice the squash in half lengthwise.
• Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.

To Bake in the Oven:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Brush the inside of each half with about 1 teaspoon olive oil each and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Note that nutrition information is for spaghetti squash only and NOT for additional ingredients.)
• Place cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet and put sheet into the oven.
•  Bake for about 40 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
• Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.

To Cook in the Microwave:

• Place squash cut-sides-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1 inch of water.
• Microwave on high for about 12 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Cooking time depends on the size of the squash and individual microwaves, so if you have a smaller squash and a microwave that cooks fast, check a little earlier. And if you are cooking a larger squash and have a lower-power microwave, it may take a little longer.
• Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle.
• With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

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