One Pot Spaghetti Squash

Skip cooking spaghetti squash before the rest of the meal with this one pot recipe.

It is the beginning of Spring. With that also comes the dreaded tax season. If you find yourself busy with paperwork and calculating deductions, The Recipe Redux has you covered this month with easy recipes made from limited ingredients. Create healthy and delicious no-brainer dishes with 7 ingredients (or less) to give yourself a break in the kitchen.

Have you ever tried to make a one pot pasta dish recipe? As the name implies, these are made by adding uncooked pasta to a single pot along with water and any other ingredients. The pasta dish is cooked at once, without having to first boil a pot of water. However, instead of using pasta we’ll be using this method with a pasta alternative, spaghetti squash. Once it’s cooked the flesh separates into spaghetti like strands. It can be a great substitute for regular pasta when looking for a lower calorie/carbohydrate, gluten free or even a chametz free (perfect for Passover) option.

This dish easily comes together. The only “tricky” part is peeling the spaghetti squash. It takes some getting used to as the peel can be tough to remove. Work slowly and carefully.  You’ll get the hang of it in no time.

One Pot Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• ½ spaghetti squash* 
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon each spice: pepper,  garlic powder, dried oregano
• 2½ ounces goat cheese

*Purchase a spaghetti squash that is ~2½-3½ pounds. Carefully slice off the top and cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds of each half of the spaghetti squash. Save them for another recipe. Use one half of the squash for this recipe and save the other half for another dish.

Directions

1. 1. To prepare the spaghetti squash:  Use a Y peeler, to carefully peel off the thick outer layer of the squash. Work slowly to safely remove the peel. Cut into 1 inch slices along the strands of spaghetti squash making half moon shaped pieces. (about 1¼ pounds)
   2. Place the squash in the bottom of a large pot. Choose a wide bottom pot that will fit the squash in a single layer as best as possible. Add the tomato sauce, 1 cup of water, garlic and seasonings. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook over medium-high heat to a boil (7-10 minutes). Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking. Mix occasionally to keep the squash submerged under the liquid. Cook for another 40-50 minutes until the squash is tender. Use two forks to separate the flesh into spaghetti like strands.
   3. Turn off the heat and mix in the goat cheese. Once the cheese has melted into the sauce it is ready to serve.