For the longest time, I did not like spaghetti squash. I loved the creaminess of the butternut squash and the earthy flavor of the acorn squash. I had a hard time getting past the stringy texture. Once I got past what it wasn't, I fell in love with what it was. Roasted Spaghetti squash became a staple as a base for sauces, roasted vegetables, and everything in between. This particular version includes one of my favorite recipes- the crumble. It's a mixture of brown rice, chickpeas, and pecans that I've found to be the perfect topping for salads, potatoes, and as one reader commented, stuffed cabbage. I typically make a larger batch than the recipe calls for to use throughout the week.
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I use the three components of this recipe separately all the time but this was a recipe worth sharing when used together. If you were in a hurry, you could microwave the spaghetti squash (I've not done this, but it's a way to speed up the process). You could also steam the cauliflower but I will always choose roasted cauliflower.
Vegan: Toss the spaghetti squash with olive oil or vegan butter instead of the butter. This recipe can easily be vegan.
Sauce: This isn't an saucy recipe as the butter just coats the spaghetti squash. If you're looking for something with sauce, use a prepared tomato sauce- it works well with the recipe as written. Or, you could even leave out the roasted cauliflower.
Crumble: I stick with brown rice and chickpeas but I'll often switch up the nuts. Walnuts are a good alternative to pecans (or use both!)
I almost exclusively use spaghetti squash as a base for ingredients. Roasting makes it easy to prepare and then use in multiple recipes. A few of my favorite ways to use spaghetti squash:
Green Curry Spaghetti Squash with Chutney
Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas and Kale
When I looked at the photos, I thought the recipe would be complicated but I can't get over how short the ingredients list is! Beautifully simple! 🙂
I've tried spaghetti squash a couple times, but I haven't been able to get over the stringy texture yet! Perhaps I'll try again though. That pecan crumble looks like it could do the trick!
This looks delish! I'm all over spaghetti squash in any form but with a pecan crumble, omg, YES!
Erin, this looks SO yummy! What a wonderful idea for spaghetti squash, I can't wait to try!
This looks like such a delicious, comforting dish!
This sounds absolutely gorgeous- thyme butter- yes!!
That looks amazing! I love spaghetti squash but don't make it nearly enough. http://maryconroyalmada.com/
hmmmm tried it tonight. the crumble ended up like a paste.... not yummy. ate the cauliflower and saved the spaghetti squash for something else. what went wrong with the crumble?
It really only needs a 3 to 4 pulses in the food processor- my guess is that it spent too much time in the food processor. It also helps to make sure the rice doesn't have a lot of excess moisture.
The first time I encountered spaghetti squash I was so baffled, but it was love at first bite. So yummy! I usually have it with a lentil bolognese but I can't wait to try it with this pecan crumble.
That pecan crumble looks amazing!! What a great topping for squash! 🙂