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Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts - delicious way to combine lots of veggies in one dish. Shredded Parmesan cheese makes this healthy meal taste like comfort food!
After I published the recipe for Parmesan Zucchini and Garlic Pasta, one of the readers left a comment that she added walnuts to the zucchini pasta, and it turned out really good. The idea of zucchini cooked in olive oil, topped with melted, freshly shredded Parmesan cheese AND then sprinkled with some kind of toasted nuts has been brewing in my head for a whole day on Monday. And - voilà - all this thinking has thankfully not gone to waste and instead materialized into a delicious Parmesan Zucchini & Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts!
This dish is so unbelievably good: the zucchini, spaghetti squash, Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts are meant to be together!
As you can guess by the small number of ingredients, this recipe is extremely easy to make.
First, bake the spaghetti squash at 425 Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes.
Second, cook zucchini in olive oil and garlic for about 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat, adding salt midway through cooking to make zucchini release its juices. Cook it covered, because you will want the juices from the zucchini to accumulate for when you add baked spaghetti squash and grated Parmesan cheese. The zucchini juices will coat the spaghetti squash and help the cheese melt beautifully throughout the whole skillet!
This recipes is healthy, full of vegetables, gluten free, vegetarian.
Other delicious recipes with spaghetti squash
- Southwestern Stuffed Whole Spaghetti Squash - Southwestern Spaghetti Squash stuffed with chopped chicken, black beans, tomatoes, corn, green chilies, green bell pepper, spaghetti squash flesh, and topped and broiled with shredded Cheddar on top!
- Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Skillet with Spinach, Bacon, Pine Nuts - Spaghetti Squash, Spinach cooked with garlic in olive oil, combined with bacon, topped with melted, freshly grated, Parmesan cheese AND then sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. Delicious, healthy, gluten free!
- Bacon Spaghetti Squash Fritters with Parmesan - mini cakes made with spaghetti squash.
Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 zucchinis , sliced, or 1 very large zucchini, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 spaghetti squash , medium size
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese , shredded
- ½ cup pine nuts , toasted
- salt and pepper
Instructions
How to cook spaghetti squash:
- Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
- Cut the squash in 2 halves, scrape out the seeds and the fiber out of each half. Spray oil over the cut sides of the squash. Spray the baking sheet with oil and place the squash on the baking sheet cut side down.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove it from the oven when it's cooked through and soft, and let it cool. Flip the squash so that cut side faces up – that will speed up the cooling. After squash cools, scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands and transfer to a bowl.
How to cook zucchini:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sliced zucchini and minced garlic and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring, on medium heat, uncovered. Season with salt, stir, and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, covered, occasionally stirring, until zucchini softens and browns a bit. We are cooking it covered to preserve the juices. Note: Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to cook zucchini in 2 separate batches.
- Add spaghetti squash to the skillet with zucchini and mix to combine, on low heat.
- Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese into the skillet and stir on low heat to melt the cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Top with toasted pine nuts.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This looks amazing! And it was perfect timing. I have some Mexican squash (interchangeable with zucchini) in the fridge I really need to use and spaghetti squash is almost a staple in my kitchen, so I saved this and printed it and plan on going to the store tomorrow. Thanks so much for this beautiful creation!
Leslie - you're welcome! I really enjoyed this dish - I hope you will too! I haven't been using spaghetti squash that much in the past but now I love it!
Wonderful recipe! Love finding different ways to fix Zucchini. Really liked the two squashes together.
I also love the idea of mixing 2 squashes together! Also, love to experiment with using zucchini differently than just in a zucchini bread.
Love, love, love spaghetti squash! This sounds like a delicious combination. Everything is better with toasted pine nuts!
I agree - pine nuts make everything so good!
Love mixing the different squashes together, great recipe!
Loved the mix!
Loving this entire dish, and especially loving how yummy it is but yet healthy!
Yes, so delicious and healthy with so many veggies and healthy oils from pine nuts!
What a great idea to add nuts! I bet it adds a lovely crunch. 🙂 Love spaghetti squash and this looks fab!
I agree...I think some warm, crunchy nuts make everything better. I have no long ago discovered how much I like spaghetti squash. This is a great, flavorful, healthy dish.
oh yum! this looks like such a great dish 🙂
This recipe looks fantastic! I love all of these things, zucchini, spaghetti squash, and pine nuts in recipes of their own, but putting them together is genius! Can't wait to try it!
Hello Julia, long time no see-)) How are you? You dish looks zoo good my friend!!! So scrumptious and delicious-)) I am glad that I stopped by, miss you-)))
Hugs,
Yelena
Looks good!
You read my mind! I've been looking for a great spaghetti squash recipe, preferably with something cheesy so my husband will give it a try. Thanks for sharing and great photos as usual!
great gluten-free recipe! love the colours too!
Love everything about this dish. The combination of delicate flavors, the crunchiness of the nuts and the idea of a gluten free "pasta".
Well done, Julia!
Pine nuts are such an amazing textural addition to the zucchini and spaghetti squash!