Spaghetti Squash & Jalapeño Casserole Recipe
PIN IT!This…this spaghetti squash & jalapeño casserole recipe will now only be referred to as “spaghetti squash heaven.” Because, guys, there’s just no better way to describe it.
Spaghetti squash is one of those things I absolutely just love to eat. Like butter, pumpkin and butternut squash, I just smile like a weirdo in the back of the bus whenenver I’m about to consume it. I don’t know why, either. Maybe it’s because it’s 700% better for you than regular pasta. Or maybe because it has about 50 calories per cup. I think that might be it. Given I’m still trying to lose those last 20 pounds (only 15 to go! please shoot me).
I’ve had spaghetti squash a bunch of ways. With spicy marinara, with Italian seasoning and slathered in pesto. Those were good, but this is IT. It’s creamy, cheesy, spicy, crunchy. Every texture you could possible want in one dish is all up in this bowl in front of you.
Have you ever had one of those dishes baking away where your whole house was filled with the best smells you’ve ever smelt? And you literally sat right next to the stove in hard anticipation, waiting, waiting for the ding to go off so you can rush to pull your heavenly dish out? Where you have to actually TALK YOURSELF OUT of just face planting into said masterpiece? That is what happened yesterday. Yesterday, as I pulled this bubbly, cheesy, spicy spelling delicacy out of the oven, I LOATHED being a food blogger.
For the simple reason that I didn’t want to wait to eat. I didn’t want to have to photograph this perfect dish, smell it’s heavenly aroma and drool, LITERALLY, as I snapped away. Y’all should feel lucky. I was .2 seconds away from face bathing in this jalapeno casserole and then I’d have nothing to share with you.
Well, that’s not true. I would probably instead blog about how I have no idea how on earth I gained 5 pounds overnight since I only ate just a little bit of spaghetti squash for dinner.
Spaghetti Squash & Jalapeño Casserole Recipe
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Serves about 7. Recipe adapted from Sunset.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 2.5 pound spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
- 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
- 1/4 cup light cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 jalapeños, chopped and seeded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, part-skim
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, part-skim
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeños
- Liberal dashes of salt and pepper
Directions:
- Grease a 2 – 3 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place spaghetti squash flesh side down in a glass baking dish. Fill the dish up 1/2 way with water (or until the squash’s flesh is submerged). Bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until squash is soft to the touch. Let cool.
- When squash has cooled, use a fork to remove the spaghetti like strands. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium size pan over medium high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In another large sauce pan, heat milk, cream and chopped jalapeños in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 5 minutes, or until mixture is fragrant and thickening. Add in spaghetti squash and shallots and garlic, mix well to cover in the milk mixture. Add salt and pepper. Let cook another 2 – 3 minutes. Then, add cheese, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well to mix.
- Pour spaghetti squash mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons jalapeños and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until bubbly and top is golden brown.
Nutritional information per serving (1/2 cup):
Calories: 185
Fat: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 14.5 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 7.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 4
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