Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

I have to admit to a “Worst Cooks In America” moment.  I recently made the most atrocious dish.  It’s not the recipe I’m sharing  today – no, this Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Marinara is really tasty.  I’ll get to it in a moment.

My de-sgust-atory adventure started this weekend when I bought a huge  bunch of rainbow chard at the market.   I made a simple saute of the greens and stems in a little olive oil, with some garlic, red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon.  So far so good.

Actually, it was very good.  Very mild flavor with a faint earthy, almost beet-like finish.  We had it with a turkey breast and some spicy curried cauliflower.  It was delicious.

Here’s where I got into trouble.  Yesterday, I was rooting through the fridge, looking for inspiration, and I saw the leftover containers of chard and cauliflower.

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   Remembering how much I’d enjoyed them,   I wondered how they would be in a soup — together.  I decided to find out and put them into a blender with some chicken stock to make a curried cauliflower and chard soup.  I served it to myself for lunch.

It was smooth and creamy.  I could taste each of the vegetables distinctly.  The curry and spices added heat. It was a deep forest green color.    It reminded me of pond scum and it was revolting.

I managed to finish a bowl of it by telling myself it was very healthy for me and I shouldn’t waste food — but it was vile.  Anyway, I promise not to inflict that kind of suffering onto you.

On the other hand, this roasted spaghetti squash is quite good — made even better with homemade marinara sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  This is also so simple, I can hardly call it a recipe.  It’s more like giving yourself an opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine while your dinner cooks.  Try it,  you’ll see what I mean.  

It’s also a perfect side dish with chicken or pork.  For anyone following low-carb diets (like me) or anyone avoiding gluten, spaghetti squash is a real winner.  It satisfies the craving, without leaving you feeling heavy or bloated.  Love it!

Like some healthy meatballs with your spaghetti squash? Try these Healthy, Saucy Chicken Meatballs.

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4.34 from 6 votes

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

Low-carb spaghetti – you bet!  Spaghetti squash is light, but filling and goes great with your favorite marinara sauce.

Author: Lisa Lotts

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword spaghetti squash, tomato sauce

Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Gluten-Free, keto, Low-Carb, Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

INGREDIENTS:

US Customary – Metric

• 1 3-4 pound spaghetti squash
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 cups marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375℉. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.
• With a very sharp knife, slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and any excess fibers with a spoon.
• Rub oil onto the flesh of each squash.
• Place squash, flesh side down on the baking sheet.
• Roast for 45 minutes or until skin is puckered and flesh is soft.
• Remove from oven and set aside until squash is cool enough to handle. With a fork, run the tines through the flesh both vertically and horizontally to break it up and separate the strands.
• Transfer to a serving dish and serve with homemade marinara from this site, or your favorite spaghetti sauce.

NOTES:

I make large batches of marinara sauce (link below) and freeze portions of it in plastic storage bags, so it’s always ready to go. Any good spaghetti sauce would work!

NUTRITION:

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1044mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1340IU | Vitamin C: 22.4mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 3.3mg

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