Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Chickpea Pasta - an award winning combo👩🏻🍳
When I’m craving a good Italian meal - but don’t want to overload the carbs - I love using spaghetti squash instead of pasta OR added to the pasta! It’s much lower in calories and carbohydrates, offers more nutrients (such as fiber, vitamin C and vitamin B-6), and takes on the shape and feel of pasta. I also love using any type of “bean” pasta (lentil, black bean, chickpea, etc!) instead of traditional pasta because it offers more protein, fiber, and is way more filling. You can replace traditional pastas with either of these options, but sometimes I like to combine the two. Here is my recipe for roasted spaghetti squash with added chickpea pasta (for protein!)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Take your spaghetti squash and slice the top and bottom ends off, so that it stands flat. Stand it up and cut down the middle. Scoop the seeds out of both sides, lightly coat in olive oil (.5 tablespoon for each side is plenty!), and season each side with salt, pepper, and any other spices/herbs you prefer (I like garlic, oregano, basil, and maybe a little red pepper flakes!)
3. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden.
4. Cook the bean pasta of your choice as directed on box. My favorite chickpea pasta is by the Explore Cuisine brand (this is my favorite brand for any type of bean pasta, but there are many other comparable options out there!).
5. Once your squash has cooled, take a fork and run it over each half which will create “spaghetti” like pieces.
6. Add them together with your favorite sauce, top with grated cheese or eat some lean meat to the sauce for additional protein! Be creative!
Macro content for 3oz of chickpea pasta and 120g of spaghetti squash is 340cal, 20g protein, 60 carbs, and 4-10g of fat depending how much olive oil is preferred. Black bean pasta is the highest protein containing of the bean pastas and will add additional protein to your meal if used. To up your protein amounts, you can always add a piece of grilled chicken, ground lean meat to the sauce, or reduced fat mozzarella to top it off.