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cast iron spaghetti squash with bacon, spinach, and goat cheese

Ok, so it might be hard to consider a dish with bacon in it as “healthy”, but it is gluten free, low carb, full of flavor, and less caloric than other pasta dishes. It’s different than other spaghetti squash dishes that just serve to replace pasta. This one features this ingredients wonderfully! If you have been unsure of spaghetti squash until now, this dish may put you over the edge. It’s simple, easy, full of flavor, and works great as a main dish or a side dish.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Level: Easy

Ingredients (serves 2 for an entree, 4-6 side dish)

  • 1 spaghetti squash, about 3.5 pounds in size

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

  • 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into pieces

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1/2 red onion, diced fine

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 8 oz. spinach

  • 4 oz. goat cheese crumbles

  • Salt and pepper

 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375.

  2. Cut spaghetti squash in half (the hardest part of this recipe!). Using a sturdy spoon, scoop out all seeds and scrape all non solid insides out into the trash. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil onto each half of the the squash, rub around to cover, and season lightly with Kosher salt and some black pepper. Bake flesh side down on a baking sheet for 40 minutes.

  3. While the spaghetti squash bakes, use a cast iron skillet (or another non-stick skillet if you do not have a cast iron one) to cook the cut bacon pieces over medium high heat until completely cooked. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside to cool, turn off heat, but keep all bacon fat in the skillet.

  4. Have all other ingredients ready to go: onion diced, garlic minced, and spinach measured out.

  5. When the spaghetti squash is done baking, take it out of the oven, flip skin side down, flesh side up, and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the entirety of the flesh off into a separate large bowl.

  6. Go back to the skillet with the bacon grease and turn the burner onto medium high for one minute to heat up. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, and use a spatula to "deglaze” the bottom on the pan: scrape all the tasty bacon goodness into the vinegar. Be careful: if your pan is hot, like it should be, there could be some splatter.

  7. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and let cook for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Reduce heat to medium.

  8. Add in the spinach, handfuls at a time, and let reduce. Once some has reduced, add more until all spinach has been added and wilted.

  9. Dump in spaghetti squash, mix well, turn heat down to medium low. Sprinkle with 4 large pinches of Kosher salt and some black pepper. Keep stirring, then turn heat to low.

  10. Take cast iron or other skillet off heat. Sprinkle with the bacon crumbles and goat cheese. Serve hot!

    Plating: Place cast iron skillet on a hot pad and let guests or family serve as they choose!