Spaghetti Squash Al'Arrabiata

Five years ago I decided to make vegetables the center of my attention in the kitchen.  Something started trending in the food world around the same time to make my goal a lot easier: the spaghetti squash.

I love pasta, always have, always will, but it has become a treat for me.  In its place I am constantly using spaghetti squash.  Tonight I made Pasta Al'Arrabiata using squash for my pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Spaghetti Squash Al'Arrabiata

To feed 2 people you'll need:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• Olive oil 
• Butter (optional)
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil and parsley for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds

Rub the inside surface of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Roast squash cut side down for 40 minutes

Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes

Chop the onion and mince the garlic

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or butter (I use a mixture of both) in a medium saucepan

Cook onions and garlic in olive oil for 5-7 minutes

Add thyme and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring

Add the roasted cherry tomatoes and chopped fresh tomato to the pot

Let sauce simmer on low heat for 15 minutes

When the squash is cooked, rake out the inside flesh of the squash with a fork

Divide squash into two bowls and top with a heap of the tomato mixture
 
Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top and garnish with the fresh herbs

Tip for cooking with spaghetti squash: use a thicker/chunkier sauce.  No matter how you cook it, the squash has a lot of moisture in it, and I have found through trial and error that a thinner sauce can end up watery when you mix it in.  That's why I made this sauce using fresh tomatoes instead of canned. 

Enjoy!

21 day fixers - One serving is 2 green (squash + sauce) 1/2 blue (parmesan) and 1 spoon (olive oil)