Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Spinach
An earthy, healthful vegetarian recipe. Spinach and mushrooms fill the squash and a creamy yogurt cheese blend ties it all together.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon canola or olive oil
- pinch dried thyme
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 5–8 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 4 ounces Greek yogurt cream cheese blend or Neufchatel
- ¼ cup toasted squash seeds or chopped walnuts
Instructions
Heat oven to 375°F.
Squash: Rinse under running water. With a sharp knife, stab the squash all over, about 6 times. Place on a paper towel, microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. The knife cuts allow steam to vent so it doesn’t explode as it cooks. Using pot holders, remove from microwave. Cut in half from stem to stalk. Scoop out seeds.
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place squash cut side down. Bake 35-40 minutes or until tender. When squash has cooled enough to handle, use a fork or spoon to scrape out spaghetti squash strands. The squash preparation can be done a day or two ahead of time but should be refrigerated after cooking.
Squash Seeds: Place the seeds in a bowl and fill with water. The seeds float so you can scoop then out and pull off squash bits. Pat the seeds with a paper towel to dry. Lay them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, spread into an even layer and bake 15 minutes or until browned. Or spread walnuts on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 8-10 minutes until browned.
Mushrooms: toss mushrooms with oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Spread on a single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 375°F. for 25 minutes.
Stuffing: Stir spinach, mushrooms, cheese, squash strands, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into squash shells; bake 10-12 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle toasted seeds or walnuts over.
Notes
Note: Greek yogurt and Neufchatel are generally sold in 8-ounce blocks. Leftover cheese may be wrapped tightly and used within a couple of weeks. It can be frozen but the texture will be crumbly when it thaws.
