This spaghetti squash salad is super flavorful and incredibly easy to throw together for a quick side dish recipe, perfect for BBQ's, pot-lucks, you name it! It includes minimal ingredients and no cooking skills are required. This salad is full of veggies, with the main ingredient, you guessed it, being spaghetti squash.
The spaghetti squash is a nutritious winter vegetable that matures in the late summer and is a great vegetable to have on hand. It can be stored longer and can actually sit on your counter for up to three months! This vegetable is loaded with nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber, just to name a few. But what they're best known for, is their unique stringy texture once cooked, resembling spaghetti like strands, often used for a pasta substitute.
They have a very mild flavor and can easily absorb whatever flavors they're prepared with. In this recipe, the squash is paired perfectly with other veggies, fresh herbs, and topped with a savory parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Ingredients
3-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, reserving one half for another use, and the seeds discarded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves plus additional for garnish
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Directions:
- In a glass baking dish arrange the squash half, cut side up, pour ½-1 inch of water in baking dish, and cover the dish tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave the squash at high power (100%) for 12 minutes, or until it is soft when pressed, and let it stand, covered, for 3 minutes. *Caution - Be careful of escaping steam when removing the plastic
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, basil, the oregano, and Parmesan, then stir in the tomatoes, and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- While the squash is still warm scrape it with a fork to form strands, add the strands to the tomato mixture, and toss the mixture until it is combined.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Calories 126; Sodium 96mg; Total Fat 8.9g; Carbohydrates 10.3g; Protein 3.2g