Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

Potato Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

This evening I was craving something starchy and delicious to go with steak. Scrolling through my Pinterest for some inspiration, I saw cheesy goodness that was baked in a casserole dish. Perfect! Upon reading, I realized this recipe would be easy to whip together and also used the remaining spaghetti squash I had on hand. I love it when things work out.

Here is the original recipe.


Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (bigger squash will give you more to work with)
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 small onion, diced fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsps red pepper flakes
1 tsp thyme (calls for fresh, but dry turned out fine)
1/2 cup sour cream (you can use a little less)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp = amazing) 

Directions: 

1. You can start the spaghetti squash cooking a few hours earlier in the Crock-Pot, or if you can find a dish that fits in the microwave, try out this awesome method by Dandy Dishes. "Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds.  Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes."

2. Saute onions with red pepper flakes, thyme, and olive oil. Add garlic towards the end when onions look translucent.

3. Scrape spaghetti strands into baking dish. Add in onion mixture, sour cream, and some cheese. Save a little of your shredded cheese to go on top of the squash. 

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-20 minutes. Go with the longer time if you are after a golden brown bubbly crust. If you just want to start eating, 12 is good. : )

Note: If you are clumsy in the kitchen and have problems handling knives, I would strongly recommend cooking the squash in the Crock-Pot. The microwave method worked really well, but it is difficult to cut the squash in half when it is uncooked. After a frightening attempt or two, I delegated that task.   

Also, If you want to mix all your ingredients in the serving dish to prevent dirtying extra dishes, remember to wipe around the edges of the baking dish with a paper towel when you have finished stirring. This is a simple step that helps with presentation.