Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe
Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe! If you like cacio e pepe (cheese and black pepper pasta) then you've gotta try this grain-free, vegetable version with spaghetti squash and kale.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 medium spaghetti squash halved and seeds removed
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 cups thinly sliced kale
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup grated, or freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides of the spaghetti squash and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and roast for 35-45 minutes until squash is just tender enough to scrape into strands.
- While the squash is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until garlic is just soft taking care not to burn. Add the kale and cook until tender. Scrape the spaghetti squash into strands and toss with the kale.
- Add the vegetable broth along with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and black pepper. Toss continuously until cheese is melted. Add more cheese, in 1/4 cup increments, tossing the entire time. Season to taste, adding more black pepper and salt as needed and serve very hot.
Notes
Don't stress over the amounts of spaghetti squash and parmesan cheese. These are rough estimates, so if you have larger squashes, you'll just need to add more cheese and a few splashes more of vegetable broth. Since you typically use pasta water to help adhere the cheese to pasta, you'll need the vegetable broth so that the cheese creates a sauce and the squash isn't too dry.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 433mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2769IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 2mg