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.
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.
Yum! I love spaghetti squash. Never thought about using it for Asian noodle dishes! Great idea. I always lean Italian with it but now I have to try lo mein style. Much lighter than pasta on a hot summer day. 🙂 Zucchini noodles are wonderful, too!
I was once such a chicken and didn’t want to try spaghetti squash, but I love it now! I even got my mother-in-law and husband liking it! I love lo mein, so this is a definite try for this Friday (grocery day).
This looks fantastic, Katie! Like a few others have said, I really love it when you post savory recipes. Not that I don’t love the desserts too ;).
I love all of your non-dessert recipes! Please keep them coming!!! 🙂 This one looks great!
Katie! Funny you wrote this post b/c I just made one for pasta alternatives! http://fresh-you.blogspot.com/2012/06/pasta-is-good-for-you.html Though, I agree, spaghetti squash in a meal still probably requires some other form of grain/carb, especially for runners! I also wanted to comment about your Vegan magazine supermodel post — your experience is such a cool example of how you can envision whatever you want for yourself, anything at all that you want to achieve! Very amazing! So awesome that you’re becoming more and more well known! You have so many amazing ideas to share! I knew you would be writing a cookbook before you knew it! I didn’t realize that you would have to make all new recipes — more fun for all of us readers!…maybe I already made that comment! Thank you for doing what you do!!!!!
I’m so glad to see yet another DELICIOUS looking savory recipe up on your site!!! I am so ready to try this. 🙂
As far as the serving suggestion goes, I think I’ll make the entire recipe and eat it in one sitting ;). After all, the ENTIRE recipe is only 350 calories . . . quite a decent lunch or dinner.
I think it would be a bulk issue… you might feel sick from eating so much volume in one sitting.
WOW you have soooo many commenters!!! It is amazing Katie how many people love you.
This sounds so delicious, next time i go grocery shopping im buying the stuff to make this. And i love when you post dinner recipes! Ive been trying to get into eating more vegan foods and i never know where to start, you make it look much less daunting than it seems.