Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Serving: 4 servings

 

Ingredients:

One medium spaghetti squash

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Two cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish

Optional: additional grated Parmesan for serving

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves on a baking sheet, cut sides up.

Drizzle the cut sides of the squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the squash in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the flesh is tender and can be easily scraped into strands with a fork. Let it cool slightly.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the basil pesto. Combine the basil leaves, grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and minced garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the pesto is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If the pesto is too thick, add more olive oil gradually. Once the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the flesh, creating long strands that resemble spaghetti noodles. Place the strands in a large bowl.

Add the prepared basil pesto to the bowl of spaghetti squash strands. Toss well to coat the strands evenly with the pesto. If desired, garnish with halved cherry tomatoes and additional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve the spaghetti squash with basil pesto warm, and enjoy!

 

Nutrition Facts: (Note: Nutrition information may vary based on specific ingredients used.) Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe

Calories: Approximately 320

Total Fat: 29g

Saturated Fat: 4.5g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 10mg

Sodium: 200mg

Total Carbohydrates: 10g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Sugars: 3g

Protein: 6g