Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Final papers are due Monday at midnight for the spring-semester courses. I have been writing in five-minute increments between Brayden’s feedings, in the small windows where I have a free hand and an alert brain at the same time. The math of writing twelve pages in five-minute chunks while a six-week-old needs to be fed every three hours is more brutal than I’d expected, but the writing is happening. Dr. Choi has confirmed she’ll accept the papers any time before midnight Monday and has waived the formatting requirements for this submission cycle.

Sunday I made spaghetti squash alfredo because Dustin’s low-carb diet has been back on for the past three weeks (the doctor at his April follow-up confirmed his pre-diabetic numbers had improved during the keto period but had not fully resolved, and recommended he stay on a moderate-carb diet long-term) and spaghetti squash is the right pasta-substitute for an alfredo dish. The squash strands hold the sauce the way pasta does and have a slight nutty sweetness that complements rich cream sauces.

The technique: cut a medium spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, brush the cut sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, place cut-side-down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast at four hundred for forty-five minutes until the flesh is tender and pulls into strands when scraped with a fork. Cool slightly, then scrape the flesh into long strands with a fork.

The from-scratch alfredo (the same recipe I’d been making in various forms for two years): a stick of butter melted in a saucepan, four cloves of garlic minced for thirty seconds, a quart of heavy cream warmed slowly with a pinch of nutmeg, off the heat with a full cup of finely grated parmesan whisked in three additions until smooth. Salt, pepper.

The squash strands tossed with the alfredo in a wide pan over low heat for two minutes to coat. Off the heat, fresh chopped parsley and additional parmesan stirred in.

Plated with extra parmesan grated on top. Dustin had two large bowls. The dish reads as alfredo without the carb load. The strands hold the sauce nearly as well as pasta does.

Roast the squash cut-side-down at four hundred for forty-five. Scrape into strands. Toss with from-scratch alfredo. Here’s the build.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Prep the squash. Preheat oven to 400°F. Carefully slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Roast. Place squash cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 35–40 minutes, until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.
Shred the squash. Using a fork, scrape the flesh of the squash lengthwise to release the spaghetti-like strands. Transfer strands to a colander and press gently with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Make the Alfredo sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
Add the cheese. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan cheese a little at a time until fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
Combine and serve. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the Alfredo sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes over low heat until warmed through. Divide into bowls, top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo