[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]
This poor little spaghetti squash was sitting on the discount rack at the grocery the other day and he called out to me as I walked by.
“Angie Pangie! You haven’t done a Saturday Side in a couple of weeks! Have pity! I’ve been discounted, and I’m already an under-used vegetable. Please take me home and eat me!”
No. I’m not deluded. I’m . . . creative. I’m, you know, an imaginative type.
Anyhow, I picked up the squash and brought it home. I really didn’t know what in the world to do with it, but I figured I’d come up with something.
Then, when I made the Chicken Parmesan the other day, I was going to make some pasta with pesto to go with it and I decided to use the spaghetti squash instead of real pasta to go with it. It worked perfectly. I adapted this recipe from something I found over at About.com.
Spaghetti squash looks like spaghetti, but it has the consistency (the crunch, if you will) of sauerkraut. It’s pretty much flavorless, so it’s up to you to add flavor to it. This makes it incredibly versatile and fun.
The first thing you have to do, before you can do anything at all with the squash, is cook it. There are lots of ways to cook a spaghetti squash. Try visiting this link and pick whatever method you like. Usually, I drop mine into the crockpot in the morning, but since this little guy had been split open at the store (they do that when they clearance out veggies to show that they are still good inside) I knew it would only take a few minutes in the oven. So, for this squash, I just cleaned it out and baked it in the oven.
After your squash is cooked and cleaned, just use a fork and start scraping at the pulp. It’s very simple and actually kind of fun. Your kids would probably enjoy doing this. My kids run when I suggest they help in the kitchen for fear that I will take their picture or have them “Hold that . . . just a little to the left, Good!”, but I think most kids would like to help.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the shredded squash. Saute for a few minutes, then add about 1/2 cup of pesto and a dash of salt. Stir until it is well combined, and hot throughout.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with a generous helping of shredded smoked mozzarella (about 1/2 cup) and a 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Stir and serve. Super delish!! After the squash is cooked and shredded it takes all of 10 minutes to make this side. By using the crock pot to cook the squash this can be a simple and fast side dish that is well suited to busy days.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m such a kitchen dork that I didn’t realize that the spaghetti squash side would actually smell and taste a lot like . . . spaghetti! My daughter, age ten, was absolutely in awe of the strands being scraped from the squash–”Can I HELP?” she asked with barely restrained glee. She really did find that fun. The baking squash smelled totally delish, as well. I made it up ahead of time for . . . Thanksgiving (which was a “traditional meal” at my parents’ house, nothing remotely Italian-smelling or tasting about it!) and I had bragged on this great new recipe. The dish was half-empty by the end of the meal, so SOMEBODY ate it! My sister really liked it, and took some home. I ate it and liked it as well. I think one household member was expecting the usual orange globs of squash, though. I made it “casserole style”, in a 9×12 pan, and put the paremesan on top to melt, and added crushed up cracker crumbs just for kicks. It seemed to work out ok. Like I said, I’m a kitchen dork–enough so that I had to email my sister and ask, “Where the heck do you find “smoked mozzerella?” Because I’m truly utterly clueless. I am a person who can ruin jello (and has). Please don’t ban me from the list.
@Kathy – I’m so glad you tried the squash, it’s fun isn’t it? Cracker crumbs is a great idea, too. I wouldn’t ban you from the list, that’s why the site it here – to help you!! : )