Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Red Pepper Relish and Walnuts
It’s not pasta! It is Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Red Pepper Relish and Walnuts. It’s Meatless Monday perfection, as well as being delicious, gluten-free and vegan, too.
This recipe is actually two recipes. I have topped the spaghetti squash with Roasted Red Pepper Relish. In addition to being fabulous atop this dish, Roasted Red Pepper Relish is only five ingredients, it’s simple to prepare, it’s so amazingly full of flavor, it makes a perfect sandwich topper, it is one of the best things ever mixed in with hummus, and it is lovely used as a salad dressing; you will want to keep a batch made up in your refrigerator to go with anything else you can dream up! I do!
The most difficult thing about the spaghetti squash is cutting into it! And that’s not hard either. I cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Then I drizzled in some olive oil and added salt and pepper. The squash halves were then roasted, cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about an hour. A two-pound squash yielded about 8 cups; this is great reheated, so don’t let that volume scare you.
Once roasted, I removed the seeds and then used a fork to scoop out the long, spaghetti-like strands of squash. With a bit of Roasted Red Pepper Relish on top (a little bit goes a long way), and the addition of toasted walnuts and fresh-cut basil leaves, this dish was simply outstanding.
You really, really need to try it!
P~
- 1 - 2 pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper
- Roasted Red Pepper Relish (separate recipe)
- 1½ cups toasted walnut pieces
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil over each of the cut sides of the squash.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.
- Turn the squash cut-side down and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and cook for about 1 hour.
- Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool a bit.
- Using a fork, remove the seeds from the squash and discard. They will come out in a strand with part of the center portion of the squash. Remove any remaining seeds.
- Using the same fork, and working from the long side of the squash, pulling toward the center of the squash, pull up the long strands of the squash and place on a plate (about 2 cups of squash per plate).
- Top each serving with ¼ cup of Roasted Red Pepper Relish, divide the walnuts between the servings and top with basil.
- Serve warm.
- 1 cup roasted red bell pepper
- ½ tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained of brine
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Combine all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until no large chunks remain.
- Use immediately, or transfer to an air-tight storage container (can be stored in the refrigerator for a week).
I love how versatile this relish is! 🙂 Never thought to put it on spaghetti squash. Awesome idea!
addie | culicurious recently posted…Orca Bean Soup Recipe with Bacon and Sage + a Giveaway!
I thought you might like this post, Addie! 🙂 P~