This dish is so light that you will have two helpings and still feel light as a feather. Give it a try if you haven’t already!  

I know I know, I’m so late to using spaghetti squash as angel hair pasta substitute bandwagon.  

My eldest daughter has been telling me for years “Mom, you have to try spaghetti squash instead of pasta, it’s so good! It’s part of the Whole30 plan.”

But honestly I just couldn’t do it! I would tell her “I only have pasta maybe twice a month, and when I crave pasta I want pasta! Not a veggie substitute.”

As you can see I’ve known about spaghetti squash for a long time, but just couldn’t bring myself to make it as a pasta substitute. So yeah, I was a holdout.

Why then did I make spaghetti squash now you ask?  

Well, I got this giant spaghetti squash sent to me in my farm box and I hate say this, but I was sick of making squash soup – you know what I mean?

So I thought let me give this spaghetti squash with marinara sauce a try. What’s the verdict you ask?  

Folks, anyone who tells you this is a great substitute for pasta – it’s not!!

Spaghetti squash is a great dish on it’s own merit, but not a substitute for pasta

Spaghetti squash which is a stringy squash with a nice bite to it, and when mixed with marinara sauce it takes on the flavor of the marinara sauce making it a fabulous Italian squash dish.  

But to say that this will satisfy your pasta craving, I don’t think so 😉.  

On the other hand I think this makes a great dinner on those Sundays when you know that soup just won’t do, but you still want to keep dinner light and full of veggies – this is the time to make spaghetti squash.

For a great article that describes how spaghetti squash tastes and all the ways in which you can cook it check out this well-articulated article How to cook spaghetti squash on the kitchn.com.

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce
two servings

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash cut in half and seeds removed.
• 1 jar of marinara sauce
• Salt and pepper and Parmesan if needed

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven.  Pour 2 cups water into the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

• After 20 minutes add another 2 cups of water and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.  Spaghetti squash is ready when you poke a knife in the squash and it’s soft all the way through to the skin.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

• Carefully scoop out the flesh using a fork and place in a bowl.

• Warm the jar of marinara sauce until hot and bubbly, Add this to the spaghetti squash and mix tougher.

• Serve with Parmesan cheese and extra pepper if you like.