Roasted Spaghetti Squash with an Italian Twist

One of my favorite meals to make for dinner this fall is this roasted spaghetti squash with an italian twist. In general, roasted spaghetti squash is a staple for the colder months. Cooking it with olive or avocado oil and salt gives it the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Adding in some Italian-friendly mixes like ground beef, tomato sauce, oregano and basil really bring this dish together. It’s perfect for the family or to meal prep for yourself for the week!

If you’re unfamiliar with spaghetti squash, it is a bit like a pumpkin or butternut squash. When raw, it is a very hard vegetable with a fibrous inside along with pumpkin-like seeds. When cooked, the inside becomes soft and turns shreddable into long and thin pieces, hence the name spaghetti squash. They are in season during the colder months, like their relatives the pumpkin and the gourd. 

Spaghetti squash is often used in place of spaghetti, too, as you may have guessed. It’s easy to use it as a form of noodles in pasta dishes like this one. Here’s the kicker, spaghetti squash has a heck of a lot of benefits and is a fruit! Not only is it a delicious substitute, but it packs in vitamin B & C, and also has a generous amount of fiber.

This is an extremely simple recipe, and is perfect for people who are trying to eat seasonal. It has a handful of basic ingredients many of us have on hand and produces a delicious and sustainable meal for you and your family. Another benefit is that often times you will find very big spaghetti squashes at your local grocery store when they’re in season. Depending on the size, one spaghetti squash could easily feed you and your family for the week! It’s definitely a meal prep friendly dish.

This dish is also very, very warming. It’s fitting that this squash is in season in the fall and winter months. It is truly a great dish on a cold evening or to warm you up if you are feeling under the weather. This is the perfect warm and tasty meal with healthy protein, veggies, fiber and flavor to warm you up (and fill you up!) on a cold night. 

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I originally did this recipe with olive oil, but have switched to using avocado oil when baking or cooking at higher temperatures. They have a very similar taste, and it doesn’t make a massive difference. Avocado oil just has a little bit of a higher smoke point. The smoke point of avocado oil is 520F, while olive oil’s is around 400F.

Pro tips: poke some holes in the spaghetti squash on the outside before roasting it. I drizzle a little avocado oil on top of the skin, too, to make sure it seeps in from both sides. Season the whole squash with salt and pepper before it goes into the oven. Also, when the spaghetti squash is finished, it should have a nice roasted brown color on the inside of it like in the picture above. It should also be easily shreddable with a fork.

If you’re feeling creative, try roasted spaghetti squash with any of your favorite traditional pasta dishes. Both Alfredo and pesto sauces work well with the taste of the spaghetti squash. Add in your choice of protein such as chicken, beef, or shrimp. You could also use it in a breakfast dish by sautéing it with some eggs and sausage on the side! The texture is a little bit similar to shredded hash browns. The possibilities are endless!

Let me know if you try it out or if you have any other ideas for a spaghetti squash recipe! Thanks so much for checking it out. Much love, and see ya next blog.