Meatless GF Spaghetti Squash Bolognese
An alternative take on a classic Italian pasta dish
January 17, 2021
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
- 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- a pinch of salt and pepper
Bolognese
- 12 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
Preparation
Spaghetti Squash
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and remove seeds and guts. Place on a baking tray and brush 1 Tbsp olive oil along spaghetti squash flesh. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once oven is up to temperature, roast spaghetti squash for about 1 hour, or until squash is just tender enough to scoop out lightly with a fork.
Let cool about 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out squash flesh and set aside to top with bolognese when ready.
Bolognese
In a food processor, pulse mushrooms (12 oz) until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl.
Pulse cauliflower in the food processor until pieces are about the size of a grain of rice. It doesn't have to be completely even.
Heat oil (1/4 cup) and butter (2 Tbsp) in a large pot over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stir occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion, cook for another 6-8 minutes, until onion translucent. Add sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, and rosemary. Cook until garlic is softened (about 3 minutes). add tomato paste (1/3 cup), stir constantly until paste is slightly darkened. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is cooked down, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt to taste and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
Serve spaghetti squash with bolognese sauce and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Do you ever order a produce box and get a whole head of cauliflower, and wonder "what do I do with this now?". Don't get us wrong, we love cauliflower as much as the next person; you can roast it, stir fry it, make BBQ "wings" out of it, the list goes on.
Alternatively, do you ever have a craving for meaty delicious pasta? But you've been promising yourself you would go easy on gluten or meat? We get this craving a lot, particularly when the days grow short and the rain seems like it will never let up.
Either of those scenarios are great excuses to make this dish. This meat-free Bolognese coupled with in-season spaghetti squash is a match made in heaven. You can even try dairy free by substituting the butter and the parmesan cheese.
If you don't eat everything in one go, we suggest storing the bolognese in a separate container from the spaghetti squash in the fridge.