Southwestern Spaghetti Squash Bake

Ah, spaghetti squash. When I first came across it I was skeptical. I constantly see it billed as being just like pasta, but healthier because it’s squash. The first time I tried it my suspicions were confirmed. It had potential, yes, but it was really not “just like pasta”. Similar to kale, it needs a bit of TLC before it lives up to its potential. I’ve been playing around with different ways of preparing it to make it better than just okay. I wanted it to be great. For me, one sure fire way to make almost anything food better is to incorporate other favorite foods – black beans, poblano peppers and gooey melted cheese are a great start.

Roasting the squash does take some time, but that’s okay. It gives you time to get everything else ready for the rest of the recipe and maybe even relax for a bit. The roasted squash is briefly drained, mixed with a fantastic spiced compound butter, black beans and roasted poblanos. I included greek yogurt for a bit of creaminess but sour cream will work too. Top with cheese and pop back into the oven until it’s all kinds of melty goodness. Finally, spaghetti squash is more than just okay for me – it’s actually crave worthy.

Also, just a reminder that the Fair Trade Fashion giveaway is ongoing and will be open for one more day. Don’t forget to enter!

Yield about 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 poblano peppers
1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. butter, softened
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. ground chipotle
¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 cup cooked black beans
½ cup greek yogurt
1-2 oz. shredded medium sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1-2 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Sliced avocado, for serving

Directions

01
To roast the peppers, preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the peppers in a medium baking dish. Bake, turning every 6-8 minutes or so, until the skin is blistered over most of the surface about 20-25 minutes total. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with a plate and let sit 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Remove the stem, seeds and ribs. Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
02
Lower the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Place the spaghetti squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for about 40 minutes or until it shreds easily with a fork. Remove from the oven, let cool briefly, then shred the squash out of the peel. Spread on a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels (or a clean kitchen towel) and let drain about 10 minutes. Maintain the oven temperature.
03
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter, cumin, chipotle, and oregano. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped poblanos, shredded squash, black beans, compound butter, greek yogurt and half of each of the cheeses. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold together until all ingredients are evenly combined.
04
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and spread in an even layer. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm topped with sliced avocado.