Spaghetti squash with butter and Parmesan cheese is a simple recipe that has quite an impact.
People often suggest that you use spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta and you can certainly do that. I find the squash a bit too sweet to go nicely with spaghetti sauce, but that’s my taste. I much prefer this. Lovely strands of squash mixed with a bit of sweet butter, lots of pepper and savory Parmesan cheese.
It’s a heavenly vegetable recipe that makes a perfect vegetarian main course or a side dish for meat dishes.
Squash is a hearty vegetable so it goes well with beef, pork or chicken. Try this savory take on spaghetti squash with our easy Mediterranean flavored chicken breasts or marinated flank steak. There are so many things you can serve with this recipe.
Spaghetti squash with butter and Parmesan cheese is also a great recipe to serve as part of a vegetarian meal. I love it with roasted cauliflower salad. You can roast the cauliflower right alongside the squash in the oven.
Other “pair with” suggestions are stuffed zucchini boats or an Italian vegetable casserole with peppers, tomatoes and zucchini. I am getting hungry at the thought.
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Cooking spaghetti squash in the oven like this with a bit of water in the pan with it is my favorite way to cook this squash. It comes out moist and evenly cooked every time. You can also bake it sliced side up dotted with a bit of butter in the emptied seed cavity and sprinkled with salt and pepper. You can use either of these cooking methods any time you want to serve this versatile vegetable.
Here is the spaghetti squash recipe. Try it, then play with the ingredients yourself and let us know what great flavors you create with your spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti Squash with Butter and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash, about 3 pounds
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise and take out as many seeds as you can. Put it in a baking dish cut side down, adding a little water to the dish so the squash doesn't dry out. Cover the dish with foil wrap and bake it in a 375ºF oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- When the squash is fully cooked and tender, let it cool until it is cool enough to handle. Then turn the halves over and carefully pull out and discard any seeds you might have missed before cooking it. With a fork scraping along each half of the squash that you have cut lengthwise, scrape out all of the lovely long strands and place them in a serving bowl. Sometimes the seeds hide stubbornly in the strands of squash so make sure you get them all out.
- You should have approximately 3 cups from one squash, possibly 4 cups if it is a larger one.
- Melt the butter to make sure it mixes into the strands of squash fully, so each forkful will be full of buttery goodness. Then toss the strands of spaghetti squash in a bowl with the melted butter and the grated Parmesan cheese. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and serve it immediately.
Notes
Tips and Variations:
- If you don't want to use butter, you can moisten the squash with a little olive oil or coconut oil. I like the flavor the butter gives the dish, especially mixed with the Parmesan cheese, but the others work too.
- Feel free to add a teaspoon of chopped fresh herbs to the recipe. Chives or parsley would work really well, or try fresh oregano leaves or finely chopped basil. Even cilantro would work nicely and takes you to a whole other part of the world.
- If you are trying to avoid a lot of salt, omit it entirely if you still enjoy the taste. Another suggestion is to use a low salt seasoning mix like Herbamare. I recommend Herbamare so often you would think I am being paid by the company, but not so. (Good idea though!) It's just a wonderful seasoning mix with a bit of sea salt mixed with dried vegetables and herbs. I use it on just about everything.
Nutrition
It’s oh so simple – yet absolutely delicious.
You can top the vegetable dish with finely chopped fresh herbs and extra Parmesan if you want. It looks beautiful and tastes fabulous (see notes below for herb ideas).
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 to 6 as a side dish.
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