Spaghetti Squash Salad with Basil and Tomatoes

If you’re looking for a lighter, fresher take on a pasta salad, just turn to spaghetti squash. Those golden, crunchy strands of squash can stand in for wheat-based pasta, to create a lower-calorie, gluten-free, plant-based (vegan) salad just shining with health benefits. In this Mediterranean inspired, colorful salad, simple roasted spaghetti squash is tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, olives, pine nuts, and basil, with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Just cut up a fresh spaghetti squash into fourths, scoop out the seeds, and roast. Then cool it and fluff it into strands with a fork. Then mix in that gorgeous, colorful combo of veggies and dressing to create a powerfully delicious salad. This salad is filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, thanks to those brightly colored vegetables. Plus, it holds up well in the fridge for a few days, as the flavors meld together and deepen. This spaghetti squash salad is fabulous served at a summer picnic or potluck, on a grill day to accompany veggie burgers, or as a simple rustic side dish for any meal.

Watch me make this recipe on Instagram here.

Spaghetti Squash Salad with Basil and Tomatoes

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(18 votes, average: 4.11 out of 5)
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4.1 from 18 reviews

• Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This light, colorful, delicious, Mediterranean-inspired salad uses spaghetti squash instead of pasta; combined with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, olives, and basil, with a zesty lemon vinaigrette, this gluten-free, vegan, Spaghetti Squash Salad with Basil and Tomatoes is packed with nutrition.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Roasted Spaghetti Squash:

• 1 medium (about 3 pounds) spaghetti squash, quartered, seeds removed
• Water
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salad:

• 4 small (3 ounces each) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small (5 ounces) cucumber, unpeeled, chopped
• ½ medium bell pepper, chopped
• ½ medium red onion, sliced
• ½ cup olives, pitted, drained
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Place spaghetti squash quarters, peel side down, in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
3. Cover the bottom of the dish with ½-inch of water. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the surface of the squash, and sprinkle with salt (optional) and pepper.
4. Place in the oven, uncovered, and cook just until squash is tender, and can be loosened into strands with a fork, and is cooked but not mushy (about 40 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. Meanwhile, prepare salad ingredients by placing tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onions, olives, pine nuts, and basil in a large salad bowl.
6. Prepare vinaigrette by whisking together lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and salt (optional) in a small bowl.
7. When squash has cooled to the touch, flake off strands of spaghetti squash with a fork into the salad bowl, until all squash has been removed from peel. Gently mix together salad. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently until it is distributed.
8. Serve immediately, or chill until serving time.
9. Makes about 10 servings (3/4 cups each).

• Prep Time: 22 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 77
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 90 mg
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 9 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 2 g

To try other plant-based vegetable salads, check out some of my favorites: 

Green and Gold Brown Rice Salad
Farmers Market Tomato Arugula Salad
Green Bean, Chickpea, and Farro Salad with Za’atar
Sicilian Purslane Salad