Roasted Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Easy, cheesy, and gluten-free! Roasted Spaghetti Squash Alfredo is a rich and delicious side dish for four or an entree for two. Plus, it’s a nice way to get your pantothenic acid.
Pantothenic Acid
We’ve all heard of it, but what is pantothenic acid? Its other name is vitamin B5. Pantothenic acid is what helps our bodies turn food into energy as well as build and break down fats.
It is a water-soluble vitamin that appears in many foods such as beef, chicken, eggs, and fish. Good amounts of pantothenic acid are also in mushrooms, avocados, sunflower seeds, yogurt, and milk. Because this vitamin is found in so many foods, vitamin B5 deficiency is uncommon.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for pantothenic acid is 5 milligrams for adults. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash yields roughly 11 percent of that. Combined with a dish like citrus salmon, you can take in nearly half the RDA for vitamin B5 in one meal.
Spaghetti Squash
An oval-shaped, yellowy squash in the family of Cucurbita pepo, spaghetti squash is a popular vegetable in the U.S. But it wasn’t always. The current commercial variety that is sold in most grocery stores was developed in the early 20th century but did not receive widespread recognition until the 1980s.
You can read the interesting backstory here.
It is chock full of nutrients such as vitamin C, B6, niacin, manganese, and the aforementioned pantothenic acid. Because it is low in carbs and calories, it is often used as a pasta substitute in recipes for those who are keto or gluten-free. When it was first marketed to the public, spaghetti squash went by a few other names including vegetable spaghetti, noodle plant, and my favorite, squaghetti.
In this recipe, it is baked with a cheesy, Alfredo-like sauce poured right into the center well. So easy and good!
Lessons Learned
- Spaghetti squash has a hard outer shell that can be difficult to cut. To make it easier, microwave the squash for two minutes to soften it slightly before cutting.
- If you are pressed for time or suffering from piss-poor planning (it happens), you can speed things up by partially cooking the squash in the microwave. Place the squash cut sides down in a microwave-safe pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on high. Fill with all the goodies and then bake for 20-ish minutes.
- Play around with other cheeses if you don’t like Parmesan or Asiago. Mozzarella and provolone are good subs. Romano works well too but is stronger and saltier so it’s best combined with another cheese.
Hat Tips
Many thanks to Eatwell 101 for the baked four-cheese garlic spaghetti squash recipe.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese, divided use
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Fresh parsley and basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C and move the rack to the center position. Cut the squash in half lengthwise into two even halves. Remove the stringy bits and seeds. To ensure your squash doesn’t tip over when filled, slice a thin sliver on the outside skin to make a flat spot for the squash to rest. Place the halves in a baking pan.
- Evenly distribute the garlic, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and a few tablespoons of the cheese into each well of the squash.
- Mix the cream and broth together, then pour into the wells. Top with the remaining cheese, distributing evenly.
- Carefully place the pan in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes. The squash skin should easily be pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and basil. To eat, mix the sauce and squash strands with a fork while still in the skin to distribute the sauce.
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