Every fall I get excited for squash season. I love them all – butternut, acorn, spaghetti, you-name-it! I came home from work one night starving. I opened my fridge and saw a spaghetti squash and some cilantro that was nearing the end of its life. I quickly readied my spaghetti squash for roasting and popped it in the oven. Then, I googled something like “spaghetti squash and cilantro recipes”. These weren’t flavors I would normally think to pair together so I had no idea what to expect, but I found a recipe on Food Network that looked easy and delicious. I went for it and it was seriously one of the best things I’ve made in a while! I stored the roasted spaghetti squash and the peanut sauce separately and leftovers were delicious too! If you’re looking to try something new, here’s your chance! I ate this as a meatless main dish, but you could easily pair it with some grilled chicken or shrimp for some extra protein. So good! Enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce
1 spaghetti squash
2 tbsp PB2 (or 2 tbsp peanut butter)
1 tbsp soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1-1/2 tbsp water (reduce to 1 tbsp water if using peanut butter)
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2-4 tbsp chopped peanuts
1/4-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds. Sprinkle with salt and place cut side down onto prepared baking sheet.
2. Place in preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then, using a fork scrape the fresh to get long strands.
3. In small bowl, whisk together PB2, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, water, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Pour over spaghetti squash and stir until combined. Adjust salt to taste. Top with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serves 2 (as main dish).
*adapted from Food Network
