Once upon a time I sampled a delicious dish on a Santa Barbara farm tour, which showcased the Mediterranean flavors of eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini against a backdrop of spaghetti squash, instead of traditional pasta. While I was driving through Gilroy, California on a lazy Saturday afternoon, I stopped at a produce stand in the middle of miles of farms and was instantly transported back to that warm, harvest day on that gorgeous farm. So I had to bring home spaghetti squash, eggplant, zucchini and onions from the farm stand to inspire this recipe for Spaghetti Squash with Ratatouille, which is completely plant-based (vegan) and gluten-free. Spaghetti squash is miraculous—you just cook it up and the flesh shreds into spaghetti-like tendrils, which are crisp, earthy, and golden.
I love using spaghetti squash in salads, casseroles, and pasta dishes. It pairs so beautifully with my classic ratatouille recipe too. The warm flavors of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, olives and capers just warm up this recipe, which is absolutely packed with flavor, as well as nutrition power. A single serving of this recipe provides you with a rainbow of phytochemicals and antioxidant compounds. Just roast the squash in individual wedges, simmer up the ratatouille, and top each wedge of squash with a heaping serving of the ratatouille. Serve it with a plant protein entree, such as simmered lentils or veggie balls, to form a complete meal. This is rustic enough to enjoy on a Wednesday night, yet pretty enough to serve for an elegant party. Follow along with my step-by-step guide below to make this meal in about 45 minutes.
Split open the spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds.Quarter spaghetti sauce and season with EVOO and black pepper and salt, as desired.Roast squash in oven until tender. Flake the spaghetti squash with a fork.While squash is cooking, sauté onion, eggplant, zucchini, and garlic. Add tomatoes, water, seasonings, capers and olives. Serve ratatouille over the wedges of spaghetti squash.Print
Spaghetti Squash with Ratatouille (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
To prepare spaghetti squash: Preheat oven to 400 F. Split the squash in half horizontally, and scoop out the seeds from the spaghetti squash. Cut each half into half to create four quarters.
Place spaghetti squash in a baking dish and add 1/2 inch water at the bottom of the dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, as desired (optional). Place on top rack of oven and roast until golden and tender (about 35-40 minutes).
Meanwhile, prepare ratatouille. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet. Sauté onions, eggplant, zucchini, and garlic for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes, water, basil, oregano, marjoram, pepper, capers, olives, and vinegar. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and mixture is thick.
When squash is done roasting, gently loosen strings of squash. Place squash on individual plates or a platter. Ladle ratatouille over squash.
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