Spaghetti Squash with Jammy Tomatoes
Tomatoes roasted with olive oil create an amazing, caramelized sauce for spaghetti squash that is roasted at the same time. This recipe brings out the flavor and simplicity of this magical squash, which is a delicious alternative to pasta.
I created this simple recipe to serve my love for spaghetti squash and rich tomato sauce. It serves two as a main dish with green salad or 4 as a side with your favorite protein.
Gather these ingredients and make this dish for dinner tonight.
1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash (2-3 pounds), cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
fresh ground black pepper
zest of one lemon, finely grated
1/4 cup parmesan Reggiano, finely grated
Preheat oven to 450 F. Position the oven rack in the center of the oven.
Drizzle each half of spaghetti squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper (a pinch for each half), and place face down in a baking dish large enough to accommodate both halves. Set aside.
Line a pie plate or 8” x 8” baking dish with parchment paper. The use of parchment makes the dish easy to clean and prevents sauce from burning. Add the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Add 1/4 cup of oil oil and stir to combine.
Place both baking dishes in the oven on the center rack. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a fork penetrates the skin of the squash. Gently, stir the tomatoes. Remove the squash but not the tomatoes. Allow the squash to cool for 15 minutes while the tomatoes continue to roast.
Using a fork, scrape the the flesh of the squash into a serving bowl. Discard the skin. Add the lemon zest to the squash. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Add jammy tomatoes to the squash. Gently toss the tomato sauce into the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with parmesan Reggiano and serve immediately.
Enjoy.