A rich and satisfying way to enjoy pesto that is big on veggies as well as flavor! This pesto recipe makes about twice as much as you need for this amount of squash. Either halve the recipe or freeze the remaining pesto (see the directions in the recipe notes) for an easy way to enjoy it again later.
1medium-size spaghetti squashcut in half lengthwise & de-seeded
2cupspacked basil
½cupwalnuts halves
½cupolive oil
⅓cupgrated parmesan cheese
¾teaspoonsalt
3medium size garlic cloves
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the halves of the squash crosswise into 1.25-inch pieces, forming half-moon or rainbow shaped pieces.
Add the squash pieces to an 8x13 baking pan.
Add an inch of water to the pan and cover the pan tightly with foil so no air can escape.
Add the pan to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the spaghetti squash is tender and flakes easily when scraped with a fork.
While the squash bakes: add the rest of the ingredients -- the basil through the garlic cloves -- to the bowl of a food processor or blender and run on high speed for 30-45 seconds, or until the walnuts and basil are broken down and the pesto is the texture of a thick sauce.
Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Remove the foil from the pan and let the squash cool for 5-10 minutes, or until the squash isn't steaming anymore.
Using a large spoon and fork, move the squash to a cutting board and scrape the squash out of the shell. I like to hold the shell down with the spoon in one hand while scraping the squash out with my right hand.
Dish the loose spaghetti squash "pasta" into bowls, top with 1.5-2 tablespoons pesto and serve hot!
Notes
1. To freeze leftover pesto, simply add it to a quart-size freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can defrost it later by soaking in warm water for 20-30 minutes. 2. Leftover spaghetti squash pasta will keep covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.