Confession time: Squash isn’t my favorite thing, no matter if it’s a summer or winter variety. (Have I said that already? Probably that last time I wrote a post about squash. Hmm…)
But you know, I’m warming up to it. Especially now that the cooler weather has come to stay for a few months. And especially when the winter squash is spaghetti squash.
I think my lukewarm feelings towards winter squash stem from the fact that they’re tough to cut. Intimidating, right? Even when I’ve spent a lot of years in kitchens, and even when I have a lovely, freshly sharpened chef knife, cutting through the skin of hard squash still freaks me out a bit.
But I found a simple trick which has, so far, saved me from needing any first aid: Cut a tiny bit off of each end before you slice the squash lengthwise. This way, you flatten out the end that’s going to sit on your cutting board and you don’t have to slice through a thick stem at the top. Whew!
I’ve used spaghetti squash before as a substitute for pasta — it does a great job as a grain-free stand in, especially with a chunky tomato sauce. But I was after a lighter dish, although something that would still qualify as comfort food. It is bucketing rain outside these days.
Spaghetti squash with spinach and feta hits the spot. There’s a very slight nod to Greek cuisine, kind of like a spanakopita without the phyllo. And with spaghetti squash added. (Okay, I suppose it’s only vaguely like spanakopita, but you see where I’m headed.)
The great thing is that you can make this dish in less than an hour, and almost all of it is roasting time. You could even roast the squash ahead: If you do that, it’s a dinner you can pull together in less than 20 minutes. Talk about speedy comfort food. And it’s good for you. Yes!
I like that this spaghetti squash-spinach-feta dish is easy, healthy and satisfying, and requires only a fairly minimal effort. Sure, the tang of feta cheese is always welcome to add some brightness, but the squash itself was really flavorful. I added a pinch of nutmeg, and found it added a lovely background note. Not strong enough to pick out a lot of spice, but enough of a hint to give your taste buds a little something extra to ponder.
And, who knows, with a bit more cutting practice I won’t be intimated by tough winter squash anymore. Now wouldn’t that be something?
Roasted spaghetti squash combines with the Greek flavors of feta and spinach to make this a simple, healthy, flavorful dinner. It is very easy to put together, and if you roast the squash ahead of time, the rest of it takes only minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
- 1 2-pound spaghetti squash
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces spinach
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 3-1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- freshly cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Slice a small bit off of each end of the squash so that both ends are flat. Stand one of the flat end on a cutting board and slice lengthwise.
- Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon, and place on a foil lined baking sheet. (You can put them skin side up or down; I tried both ways and found no difference in how they turned out.)
- Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper before placing in the oven.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces all the way through the skin. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Using a kitchen fork, scrape the squash flesh into a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and green onion, and saute for a minute or until the garlic has softened slightly.
- Add the spaghetti squash to the pan and mix it in. (I find tongs are a particularly good tool for this.)
- Add spinach and saute for about 30 seconds, or until wilted. Remove from heat, add nutmeg and 2 tablespoons oregano and stir in.
- Add the feta cheese and stir to melt. Season to taste with pepper.
- For serving, cut a strip of spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and place on each serving plate. Spoon the spaghetti squash and spinach over the skin. As an optional garnish, sprinkle each plate with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and a teaspoon of fresh oregano.
Notes
If you roast the squash ahead of time, scrape the flesh out of its skin and keep refrigerated in a covered container.
When I started to cook this dish, I started out with an old recipe from Cooking Light. About halfway thru, I discovered that part of the recipe was missing! In a panic, I went to the internet and frantically started looking thru recipes that seemed similar. I chanced upon yours and my spaghetti squash world changed. My original recipe called for cutting the squash into rounds, which I will never do again. But I will spare you the details; that is a whole ‘nother story. The only real difference is the addition of lemon wedges to the baking pan; the cut rounds of squash soaked up some of the caramelized lemon, and it was a delicious addition. I finished the preparation with your recipe, and my daughter raved about how this dish was one of the best vegetarian dishes she had ever had. Your spaghetti squash will be the dish we will be sure to serve to her cousin & family (who are lacto-vegetarians) the next time they visit. Thank you both for a brilliant recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing your cooking adventure — what a fun story about discovering the recipe mid-panic and then making it your own. I’ve been there too. Sometimes those last-minute substitutions not only avert a potential disaster but lead to a memorable meal, along with a great story.
Roasting lemon wedges with the squash sounds fantastic! I can just imagine how that caramelized flavour would brighten this dish. I’m so glad to hear your daughter loved it, and I’m honoured that it’s earned a place in your family’s go-to recipes.
I’d love to hear how it turns out the next time you make it for your cousins. Happy cooking, and thanks again for your kind words!