Knowing this is a dessert blog, and reading today’s post title, you might have put two and two together and come up with…
Something really weird. 😕
Actually, I don’t want to know what you came up with. Please don’t tell me.
Or anyone else. Ever.
Rest assured, today’s post is not dessert… well, unless you want to eat a bowl of vegetables for dessert, in which case I can’t judge you. I’ve done it before! (Remember my Chocolate Cauliflower Cake?)
Every now and then, against my better judgment, I’ll buy something on a whim at the grocery store, even though I have absolutely no plans for using it. Such was the case with a giant spaghetti squash I picked up a few weeks ago. Last night I decided it had been sitting ignored on the counter for too long. And so I cooked it, making the dish up as I went along.
Do you like Spaghetti Squash?
I love spaghetti squash, but I also adore real spaghetti and definitely don’t treat spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. Normally when I make lo mein, I use soba noodles, and I’ll probably do that next time I make this recipe.
Spaghetti squash is a fun food in its own right, but I usually include some other kind of carb in the meal—such as toast—whenever I make it for dinner.
Spaghetti Squash Lo Mein
(makes 5 large servings)
- 1 cup red pepper, sliced thin (150g)
- 1 onion, diced (150g)
- 1 (8oz) package sliced mushrooms
- 1-2 carrots, sliced into coins or matchsticks (70-140g)
- 2 cups broccoli florets (230g)
- optional: shelled edamame for extra protein
- vegetable oil for sautéing (or broth for a fat-free option)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 scallions, sliced thin (and ends removed)
- 1 large spaghetti squash or 16oz pasta
- optional: 1 package bean sprouts (225 g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or gluten-free alternative)
Directions:
Cook the pasta or squash (see: How To Cook Spaghetti Squash In The Oven).
In an uncovered dish with a few tbsp water, steam broccoli 2 minutes in the microwave (or stovetop). Heat a large sauté pan to medium, and cook first 4 ingredients in sautéing liquid of choice. Then add the spices, garlic, scallions, salt, bean sprouts, and broccoli, and cook a few more minutes until the broccoli is soft.
Meanwhile, combine the last 4 ingredients in a bowl. Now mix everything together. Depending on the size of your spaghetti squash and your appetite, I’d say this probably makes around 5 main-dish servings.
My favorite way to eat spag squash is with marinara sauce dumped on top. sometimes i think it’s better than real pasta, and then i have real pasta, and I’m like no, not better.
Mmmm I absolutely LOVE spaghetti squash but I’m usually intimidated because it’s so hard to cut! But I think I need to get past that because it’s delicious! This looks great too and full of chinese flavor! Sometimes I’ll take TJ’s Chinese chicken noodles and sauce and add more veggies and broccoli slaw!
This looks yummy, but gotta say I’m bummed. After yesterday’s picture of the poptart babies I was REALLY hoping that recipe would be posted today. No such luck. Maybe tomorrow??!?! 🙂
Sorry, I was just showing “progress” pictures. It’s not perfected yet!
I love spaghetti squash! It’s so tasty, healthy & versatile! Definitely my fav squash!!
Spaghetti Squash intimidates me. I want to try it because I know I’ll probably LOVE it, but it intimidates me so I always ignore it at the grocery store… :-/
I agree with Katie. I’ve eaten it and I like it, but for some reason I’m always scared to buy it at the store!
It looks delicious and its such a great idea! I’m off sugar for a while so I was very happy to see a non dessert recipe on your blog because usually your pictures leave me drooling and craving sweets. I’m starting to get into baking with stevia and I was wondering if you have any recipes you could recommend that are strictly sweetened with stevia, no maple syrup or dates or anything.
Thanks!
A lot (or rather, the majority) of her recipes are really low-sugar/stevia sweetened. 🙂 Link to (added)-sugar-free recipes: https://lett-trim.today/tag/sugar-free/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Oh! What a great idea!! I’ve really only cooked spaghetti squash in two ways. One is in place of pasta for “spaghetti” with marinara, sometimes a protein, and some veggies (and always cheese). The other is sweetened with cinnamon and brown sugar. THAT is so great.
I love the idea of giving it Asian flavors, and would have never thought of that! This is going on the list of meals to make…
I love your savory recipes! The sweet potato chili is a staple in my house now, as is the bread-free stuffing. And now this??? What would I do without your blog?!
Dinner tonight? I think so!
Katie, it’s like I exclusively live off of just your recipes nowadays. It’s scary!
I love spaghetti squash!!! I agree that it isn’t a substitute for real pasta, but it’s nonetheless good. 🙂
So fun! Love this idea!
Definitely pinning this! I love it when you post savory recipes. As much as I’d like to eat dessert all day, that’s just not going to happen ;). You’re awesome, CCK!
this looks fantastic. I receive spaghetti squash every year from my CSA and don’t often know what to do with it. I’ll be trying this for sure.
This looks so good!! I have never made my own spaghetti squash, but I may have to now. I’m doing Weight Watchers and using squash in place of pasta would be a huge points saver.
FYI – I just put the nutritional information you provided into the WW online calculator and it comes up with 2 points per serving. Edamame does have points since it has protein if that was in your calculation. I’m not sure what else might have points, but only because my WW window froze up as I was calculating.
It says the edamame is optional, therefore it wouldn’t be included in the calculations.
Another FYI – I entered in the Fat, Fiber, Carbohydrates and Protein that were given as the Nutritional information by Katie to get the points value, I wasn’t doing it by ingredients. So if the edamame wasn’t added to the calculations for the nutritional values, adding it would make the points value even higher. And Katie, this recipe looks delicious and even at 2 points per serving it is definitely worth making.
Thanks, Janet. But on weight watchers all the veggies in this dish are zero points. So you don’t even have to calculate the carbs/fat/protein. It’s zero points because all its components are zero points ;).
I was a little bit confused by what WW calculator was saying and the fact that all the veggies are zero points. That’s why I asked if you were calculating the nutrition info with the edamame, because that doesn’t have 0 points. But anyway, it really doesn’t matter. I’m glad you posted this recipe and I would make it even if it had 5 points. I recently joined WW and I have to say I’m already getting tired of salads. I hadn’t really thought of doing a veggie stir fry, but once I find a spaghetti squash (I live in the middle of nowhere so stores don’t always have a great selection of produce), I will pull this recipe out and make it.
can i ask where you bought your spaghetti squash?? i went to whole foods a few weeks ago (the one in highland park near lemmon ave) looking for some and couldn’t find it! i just assumed i’d need to wait until fall, but now i’m hopeful! i’ve been dying to try it as it’s been all over pinterest lately (lol) and now this! it looks really delicious. kelp noodles are fun to play around in asian dishes also, especially pad thai. this looks like a fun take on that since i use kelp noodles a lot 🙂
WF in Plano. I saw them at Northpark the other day, too. Or you can look at an Asian market!
lol sometimes Kroger has them!
thank you! i bought everything to make this last night and subbed kelp noodles because the lakewood whole foods wasn’t on board with having spaghetti squash, and it was delicious! hopefully i can track some down spaghetti squash down now though. 🙂 i keep meaning to go up to h mart in plano as well because i really want to try durian and that’s the only place i’ve seen it, although i’m kind of scared of it. last time i tried to pick one up, it may have required a bandaid. oops… 🙂
*track down some 🙂
Good luck with the durian… lol I’ve heard that you either love it or HATE it. Sadly, I’m in the “hate it” category.