Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Herbs

I was rummaging around in my cupboards the other day, struggling to find a serving dish that I knew had to be in there somewhere, when I was startled to encounter a spaghetti squash rolling around. Oh! You're still here! How nice. It was a fortuitous find since I had very little idea what to make for dinner that night, no desire to go to the store, and an odd and unhelpful collection of produce in the fridge.

So although it's May, and in truth I did feel a little strange roasting squash in May, this ended up being a most delightful dinner. I caramelized the onions until they submitted to their sweet brown coloring and topped the squash with a healthy handful of parsley from my garden and a bit of cheese. We ate our squash with  some slightly crusty bread from the farmer's market that had been well slathered with garlic butter and then broiled for a few minutes. Simple but delicious.


Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Herbs
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2012
Picture by Kelly

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves*
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 spaghetti squash, roasted
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prick spaghetti squash all over with a sharp knife. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. When cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until nearly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add squash and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese. 

*I actually didn't have any fresh thyme or rosemary on hand, so I used 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme and a little less than 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary.