Heellloooooo! Are you basking in August tomato glory? I sure am… I’ve basically been over here debating whether these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes are just too gosh darn beautiful to eat. I mean, stunners right here. But honestly, they’re even more delicious than they are beautiful, so they kinda didn’t even stand a chance.
I absolutely L.O.V.E. going to the farmer’s market this time of year – I’m basically like a kid in a candy store. My excitement is a little over the top and probably not normal, and I’m totally okay with that. The produce is just so bountiful and beautiful, I’m completely impulsive. Peaches? Thinks to myself: I 100% need to make a peach pie [because of course, I don’t even like sweets]. Corn? Thinks to myself: sure, I’ll have eight — because the sous chef and I will clearly [NOT] eat 6 lbs. of grilled corn this week… Heirloom tomatoes? NEED.
So moving right along, you get the gist — and this cheesy, tomato-y spaghetti squash packed with fresh basil the *perfect* way to use up those beauteous tomatoes.
I know I’ve been yapping a lot about pasta substitutes, and I have to say, this is so. so. comforting. And sous chef approved to boot! He was mildly obsessed with it, and took leftovers for lunch the next TWO days [and trust me, he swears by protein shakes for breakfast and lunch — I know, boring].
Now obviously spaghetti squash is slightly sweeter and has a bit more texture/crunch than pasta spaghetti — but for me, these are simply vehicles for the sauce [shocking, yes] and spaghetti squash certainly gets the job done [and pretty damn well, if you ask me].
So there you have it: a savory, cheesy, comforting bowl goodness that could only be made better with a glass of wine [or three]. ENJOY!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 large spaghetti squash havled, seeds removed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 28 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- (additional salt and pepper to taste)
Ingredients
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- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large pyrex pan, place your spaghetti squash flesh side-up. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil between the halves, and season with salt and pepper.
- Evenly spread the cherry tomatoes in a separate large pyrex pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the spaghetti squash and tomatoes for 45 minutes.
- In a large pan, add the final remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and heavy cream to the sauce pan.
- Stir in the Ricotta and Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic salt and pepper. Let simmer on low.
- Once the spaghetti squash and tomatoes are finished roasting, let the spaghetti squash cool until ready to handle. Add the roasted tomatoes to sauce, stirring to combine.
- Once the spaghetti squash is cool, scrape the squash into the tomato sauce, tossing until combined. Serve hot, and top with additional Ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
- [Optional: Add chicken, sausage, or shrimp!]
Our wine choice: the 2012 King Estate Acrobat Pinot Noir. A lighter red with notes of cherry, raspberry, and a lingering finish -- it's a perfect wine to pair with this spaghetti squash dish. Cheers!
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