Garlic parmesan spinach spaghetti squash

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash

2.5 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. olive or avocado oil

5 oz. fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup cream

1 tbsp. cream cheese (optional)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

Onion powder, salt, and pepper, to taste

Grated or sliced mozzarella for topping, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

For easy cutting, feel free to stick each squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad.

Pierce it a few times with a knife and cook on high for three to five minutes. The knife slides through much easier this way! Smaller squash will need about three to four minutes, while larger ones will be good to go in five minutes.

Next, grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.

Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil.

Place inside a baking dish or atop rimmed baking sheet and roast face-down for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork.

The cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize.

Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.

The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you’d like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.

While the squash roasts, start on the sauce.

In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté garlic until fragrant.

Next, add the spinach and stir until wilted.

Add the cream, cream cheese (totally optional but totally tasty) and parmesan cheese, and stir well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Once squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled, or pop on an oven mitt and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.

Pour the sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned.

Dive in while it’s HOT!

About the Consulate Family Cookbook

The Consulate Family Cookbook is a collection of family recipes submitted by Consulate Health Care employees. If you are a Consulate Health Care employee, and would like to share your family recipe with us to be featured in our cookbook, please submit your recipe along with a consent form to GoodNews@consulatehc.com.