Spaghetti Squash Gratin
Photos courtesy onceuponachef.comBy Jennifer Segal
Metrocurean contributor, onceuponachef.com
My
mom calls this dish “a gift from the diet gods.” She’s right. If you’re
not already a convert, spaghetti squash is a delicious low-carb,
low-cal alternative to pasta. When cooked, it miraculously transforms
into golden, spaghetti-like strands.
Here, I toss it with marinara sauce and top it with crispy panko and
shredded Italian cheeses. It emerges from the oven bubbling and golden
brown, like your favorite baked pasta reinvented.
Serve as a vegetarian main course — you'll feel virtuous eating it — or as a side dish to Italian sausage or meatballs. Enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash Gratin
serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side
2 small or one large spaghetti squash (about 4 ½ - 5 pounds total)*
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ¾ cups jarred marinara sauce, best quality (such as Rao’s)
salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend, best quality (typically Fontina, Asiago and Parmesan)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
* Select spaghetti squash that feel heavy for their size.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Fill a large pot with about 2
inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place spaghetti squash in pot,
cover with lid and simmer, turning once, for about 30 -40 minutes, or
until squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Let cool.
Cut
squash in half and remove seeds. Use a spoon to scoop out flesh, being
careful not to shred the strands. (It is best to go from side to side,
rather than lengthwise.) Place strands in a large bowl.
Add extra
virgin olive oil, marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and thyme to
bowl and toss gently until squash is well coated with sauce. Taste and
add more salt if necessary. (I usually add quite a bit more but salt to
your own taste.)
Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheese
evenly over top. Combine melted butter with panko and sprinkle evenly
over top of cheese. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until top is golden.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Jennifer Segal is the founder and publisher of Once Upon a Chef,
a cooking blog featuring easy and elegant recipes. Before launching her
blog, Jennifer earned her culinary stripes working front and back of
the house at some of DC's top fine dining restaurants, including
L'Auberge Chez Francois, Sam & Harry's and The Caucus Room.
She has also done private catering and restaurant public relations.
Jennifer is a graduate of the professional Culinary Arts Program at
L'Academie de Cuisine.
Jennifer Segal is the founder and publisher of Once Upon a Chef,
a cooking blog featuring easy and elegant recipes. Before launching her
blog, Jennifer earned her culinary stripes working front and back of
the house at some of DC's top fine dining restaurants, including
L'Auberge Chez Francois, Sam & Harry's and The Caucus Room.
She has also done private catering and restaurant public relations.
Jennifer is a graduate of the professional Culinary Arts Program at
L'Academie de Cuisine.