Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash
This crazy delicious garlic parmesan spaghetti squash is one of the most popular recipes on Peas and Crayons -- and for good reason too!
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (approx. 2-3lbs)
- 2.5 TBSP minced garlic
- 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 5 oz fresh spinach chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 TBSP cream cheese (optional but delicious!)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated or sliced mozzarella for topping to taste
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
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For easy cutting, feel free to stick your squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad. Pierce it a few times with a knife (to help vent so it doesn't burst) and cook for for 3-5 minutes. The knife slides through way easier this way! Smaller squash will need about 3 minutes while larger ones will be good to go at 4-5 min.
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Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.
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Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil and place on your baking dish/sheet cut side down. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.
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The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you'd like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.
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While the squash roasts, start on the sauce.
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In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté garlic until fragrant.
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Next add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add your cream, cream cheese (totally optional but totally tasty) and parmesan cheese and stir well.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
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Once squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mit and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.
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Pour your sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parm cheese, if desired.
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Bake at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
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For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned. Dive in while it's HOT!
Recipe Notes
T-REX CHEFS: Feel free to add chicken if you'd like! Stir it in with the sauce and veggie noodles or serve it up on the side. Grilled, roasted, baked, poached, rotisserie... anything goes! Shrimp is also a tasty addition to the squash.
Recipe yields 4 servings (so about 1/4 a spaghetti squash per person) as a side dish or it can be split into 2 portions (half a squash per person) as more of a main course, especially if you're adding extra protein and/or veggies!
Nutrition facts below are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, estimate calculated before mozzarella topping <-- add as much or as little as you'd like!