If you are a longtime reader, you may remember this dish from last year. If you are a newer reader – I have a treat for you!

This is a fabulous, easy, low-point (Vegan) entree that even meat-eaters will love!

Let me explain why I am re-posting it though – this may be one of my favorite Fall recipes and the picture that represented the dish not only didn’t do it any justice, but kind of looked like a Halloween Zombie head.

For comparisons sake…

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with White Bean + Mushroom Ragout - 6 Points Plus per serving

 

Yeah, exactly. Enough said, right?

This has been driving me crazy since I posted it and the moment Spaghetti Squash came back in season, I couldn’t make this dish fast enough.

Anyway, I hope the new picture more accurately conveys how amazing this is and I hope you make it!

{Originally Posted December, 2011 – Edited October, 2012}

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It’s squash season! Spaghetti squash is one of the “Best Of “squashes because of their unique texture; they have an uncanny likeness to spaghetti.  While spaghetti squash are great with fresh herbs and earth balance or tossed with olive oil in a cold salad, my absolute favorite way to prepare it is with a red sauce over it.

There is no other way to devour a bowl of “spaghetti” I know of that costs zero Points Plus!

In this easy and affordable weeknight dinner for 4, spaghetti squash is roasted and paired with white beans, fresh oregano, and chopped crimini mushrooms in a spicy red sauce.  The chopped mushrooms are the hidden secret of this dish, creating a chunky texture reminiscent of a Bolognese sauce.

My mom and mother-in-law both cleared their plates and declared this a winner; doesn’t get much better than that! All of this at 6 Points Plus per serving and Vegan!

NOTES:

  • I used Trader Joe’s Arrabiata Sauce (essentially a spicy red pasta sauce).  If you can’t find that or don’t want to make a homemade version, I suggest using your favorite pasta sauce and adjusting the kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper so that the sauce has a kick.  Once it goes on top of the spaghetti squash, it really mellows out.
  • I made this recipe for 4, you can easily cut it in half or refrigerate and use for lunch the next day.  I did not attempt freezing.
5.0 from 1 reviews

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with White Bean + Mushroom Ragout
 
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6 Points Plus per serving — Recipe Makes 4 Servings — Individual Servings is ½ cooked squash with 1 heaping cup of sauce mixture over it.
By,:
Serves:: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 spaghetti squash
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms washed, stems removed and cut into halves
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 5 to 7 turns freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon fresh oregano + a bit for garnish, finely chopped
  • 1 15-ounce can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 25-ounce jar Trader Joe’s Arrabiata Sauce (or your favorite)

Instructions
PREP:
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and gather ingredients together.
  2. Slice top end of spaghetti squash.
  3. Slice vertically down center.
  4. Scoop out seeds and strings.
  5. They should look like this.
  6. Place squash cut side down on a non-stick baking sheet (or a regular baking sheet lined with tinfoil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes.
  7. Next, open beans, rinse and drain.
  8. Toss garlic into food processor .
  9. When chopped, toss in onion. …and pulse until it looks like this.
  10. Set onions and garlic aside in a small bowl and toss halved mushrooms in food processor.
  11. Pulse until mushrooms look like this.
  12. Finally, tear oregano leaves off stem and finally chop.
COOKING:
  1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and onion and saute 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add mushrooms, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes until mushrooms are soft and liquid is released.
  3. Add ½ teaspoon fresh oregano. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  4. Add white beans and pasta sauce. .
  5. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to heat through and thicken. .
  6. When squash is done cooking, use a fork (and a oven mitt so you don’t burn your hand) to scrape squash strands from flesh Leave strands in squash skin to create a serving bowl.
  7. Top with 1 heaping cup of ragout and Enjoy!

 

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