Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts

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.

5 from 2 votes

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Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts - zucchini cooked in olive oil, topped with melted, freshly shredded Parmesan cheese AND then sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 417 kcal

Author: Julia

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
• 1/2 cup pine nuts , toasted
• salt and pepper

Instructions

How to cook spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
2. 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.
3. 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:

1. 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.
2. Add spaghetti squash to the skillet with zucchini and mix to combine, on low heat.
3. 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 Facts

Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 417 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 458mg20%

Potassium 908mg26%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 875IU18%

Vitamin C 41.1mg50%

Calcium 391mg39%

Iron 2.7mg15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.