Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Parmesan

Spaghetti Squash from Vons

Comments: Usually I will cook spaghetti squash and serve with marinara, but this meal gets 1.5 stars as I tolerate it and the husband will eat anything. All others dislike greatly. Thought I would try something new. I found this recipe online, but don't recall the source. I have modified it only slightly.

Verdict: *****

Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Parmesan

1 large spaghetti squash (6-8 lbs.)
1 T olive oil
1 tsp. Rosemary Garlic Rub (or use other seasoning of your choice)
2 T basil pesto
1/2 cup + 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Wash outside of spaghetti squash if it's dirty, then cut squash in half lengthwise. Use a sharp pointed spoon to scrape out seeds and stringy gunk that's around the seeds.

Cut ends off squash if desired, then rub inside surface with a small amount of olive oil and Rosemary Garlic Rub. Put squash on baking sheet and pour 1/4 cup water around bottom of squash. Roast squash, starting to check after about 40 minutes and removing when squash is still firm but strings apart fairly easily into spaghetti-like strands.

Let squash cool a few minutes if needed, then scrape out strands into a plastic bowl and discard skins. Gently mix in pesto and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, then pour squash/cheese mixture into a gratin dish and top with 1/4 cup more parmesan cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes more, until mixture is slightly bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve hot.


Rosemary-Garlic Rub:
4 T sea salt
2 T dried and chopped rosemary
2 T granulated onion
1 T ground black pepper
1 T Mrs. Dash seasoning