Have you had spaghetti squash? I have to admit as much as I love squash, I had not tried it until recently. I had seen several recipes for it and was intrigued by them all. I finally ordered it at a restaurant. It was a special that day and it was carbonara style. One bite was all it took. I was hooked. The quest began to make a version of it at home.
The first thing I needed was the main ingredient. I found a nice one on a trip to my local farmers market. I figured if I was going to make it for the first time that it should be right off the farm. I also purchased fresh eggs from one of the vendors. Those fresh eggs are incredible. I have to say I would have a hard time buying eggs from the grocery store from now on. Thank goodness the guy who sells the eggs has them available all year long.
The next thing was a recipe. I searched the internet and found a few. I decided to use one by Emeril Lagasse on The Food Network website as a guide. I adapted it by eliminating the wine, adding some half-and-half for creaminess, and a few other things. The result was a dish I want to make again and again. I also want to make more things with spaghetti squash. I have a feeling there will be lots of squash cooking going on here for a while.
How do you enjoy spaghetti squash? Do you eat it as-is (plain cooked) or treat it like pasta? I have another one here waiting to be cooked. Give me your inspiration on how to prepare it. I cannot wait to try new recipes and share the good ones too. Stay tuned.
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Style
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 4 ounces pancetta thinly sliced and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and flesh in the center. Place the squash flesh side down in a baking dish and add enough water to come up about 1/4-inch. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until squash is fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Allow squash to cool until comfortable to handle. Use a spoon to scoop out the squash (should shred as you are doing this). Place squash in a colander to drain excess liquid.
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In a small bowl, beat or whisk eggs. Add the half-and-half and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
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In a medium to large saucepan (about 4 quart), over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crispy. Remove pancetta from pan and set aside. Add the shallot to the pan and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the spaghetti squash to the pan and toss to combine and until squash is heated. Add the cooked pancetta to the pan and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese if desired. You can use chopped fresh parsley as a garnish.
Recipe Notes
A recipe for spaghetti squash prepared carbonara style - great low carb alternative to traditional spaghetti carbonara.
Donna says
July 19, 2012 at 9:27 amNice execution of the carbonara! I have (unfrotunately) had it when the egg mixture winds up more like scrambled eggs in the dish. Good point on stirring it constantly. 🙂
Renee says
July 19, 2012 at 3:22 pmThanks Donna. You do have to be careful or you will have scrambled eggs.
Jen @ Juanita's Cocina says
July 19, 2012 at 9:56 amMmmm, I ADORE spaghetti squash.
After it’s cooked, I love to saute it with olive oil and fresh dill. That’s it! My fav way to enjoy it.
This sounds fabulous!
Renee says
July 19, 2012 at 3:22 pmOh – fresh dill – what a great idea and flavor combination. Thanks Jen!
Susan says
July 19, 2012 at 12:23 pmI love spaghetti squash! I like to pair it with sauteed peppers, onions and some sausage. Great re-interpretation of a classic dish!
Renee says
July 19, 2012 at 3:24 pmOh yummy suggestion. I do love sausage.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
July 19, 2012 at 12:33 pmSpaghetti squash is one of my favorite veggies. I love that you turned it into a carbonara. Looks delish!
Renee says
July 19, 2012 at 3:24 pmThanks Jennie!
Carla says
July 19, 2012 at 4:12 pmUm um um love it! I had spaghetti squash a few times in college (I was weird apparently). Because it’s healthy, I can double the pancetta right?
Renee says
July 20, 2012 at 8:17 amThanks Carla! Of course you can double the pancetta if you want.
Lyn @LovelyPantry says
July 20, 2012 at 11:23 amThis looks good, Renee! I have wanted to try spaghetti squash for some time now but never got around to it. I love how you adapted the recipe… something I’d definitely do 🙂
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
July 20, 2012 at 4:29 pmI love spaghetti squash, and I love this idea!! This is definitely on my must-make list.
Hotly Spiced says
July 20, 2012 at 11:51 pmI think that’s really clever to make a carbonara out of squash instead of pasta. Great for the gluten free! And I like to make carbonara with pancetta as well.
CJ at Food Stories says
July 22, 2012 at 3:31 pmI love Spaghetti Squash so I know I would love this 🙂
TheFlirtyFoodie says
July 25, 2012 at 6:16 amWe LOVE spaghetti squash as a pasta replacement! We usually do one that consists of a mixture of grilled veggies, fresh herbs and olive oil. The leftovers make for a great breakfast as well, we just fry them up like hashbrowns.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
August 3, 2012 at 9:59 amI never had spaghetti squash but it sounds interesting. Anything carbonara is a good recipe for me!
Tanya says
November 13, 2013 at 3:04 pmHi! I just wanted to thank you for this incredibly tasty (and relatively easy) recipe. I decided to make spaghetti squash carbonara one day, and I combed through the recipes on the web, looking for one that looked good. I wasn’t sure about Emeril’s, and most of the rest seemed to be paleo, or not particularly faithful to what I’d consider a carbonara. This one was fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing.
Renee says
November 14, 2013 at 2:10 pmThank you so much for coming back and letting me know how much you enjoyed the recipe. You really made my day!