The perfect light, healthy summer spaghetti squash recipe

Looking for the perfect light, healthy summer dish? We’ve got you! Spaghetti squash is the perfect vessel for your favorite pasta dish, but it’s much less heavy than a huge bowl of regular spaghetti. It’s extremely versatile and can be made with whatever ingredients you want. Here’s how to make a delicious summer-inspired spaghetti squash dish.

Ingredients 

• 1 spaghetti squash 
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 10-15 cherry tomatoes
• Meat or vegetables of your choice (we like spicy Italian sausage)
• 1-2 cups tomato sauce 

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F.
2. With a fork, stab the squash and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. This will allow the squash to get soft enough to cut in half.
3. After microwaving, let it rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Cut it down the middle lengthwise, into two long halves. 
4. Use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds.
5. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, massage and spread evenly over the spaghetti squash. 
6. Place the halves flat onto a baking dish, with the rounded part of the squash facing upward. 
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the skin blisters. The squash is ready once it’s fork-tender. 
8. Once the squash is out of the oven, take a fork and “fluff” the squash. Run your fork through the squash and scrape the edges to get as many spaghettilike strands as you can. 
9. Cut your cherry tomatoes in halves.
10. Heat a pan with olive oil and let the tomatoes saute for 3 minutes. 
11. Add your cooked meat or vegetables, and mix them in with the sauteed tomatoes. 
12. Once combined, add the spaghetti squash and tomato sauce to the pan and stir. 
13. Serve with cheese or herbs on top and enjoy!

Making spaghetti squash is the perfect way to channel your favorite pasta flavors into a much lighter summer dish. It is super customizable, so add whatever you want and enjoy.

Jackie Amendola is the deputy blog editor. Contact Jackie at [email protected].