Spaghetti squash is one of of those vegetables (yes, I suppose it is technically a fruit, but put it in a fruit salad and get back to me) that I buy and then stare at on the counter for weeks before actually using. Then, when I use it, I can’t figure out what to do besides tossing it with some pasta sauce or using it as a base for our tofu cacciatore. Recently I decided to just have some fun with it and made Spaghetti Squash with Greens and Garbanzos. I used kale as my greens, but I really like the alliteration of Spaghetti Squash with Greens and Garbanzos. It sounds better than Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Chickpeas (garbanzos and chickpeas are the same thing). Had I used cannelini beans, I could have stuck with kale, but I digress…
As written, this dish serves two people as an entree. However, if you double the garbanzos and add another half bunch of kale, you can easily serve four. The sun dried tomatoes and capers give this dish a big hit of umami that gets balanced by the acidity of the wine and lemon. Play around with different greens in this one to suit your own tastes. Chard would work great here as would arugula for a nice peppery kick. However, I would avoid spinach as the loss factor when it’s cooked it huge. Stick with greens that hold up to cooking.
The bright green, red, and yellow colors of this dish make it both a feast for the eyes and the stomach. It would be lovely to serve for a holiday themed meal this time of year.
1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup water
3 shallots, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 14 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups if using fresh)
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
juice of a lemon
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
salt
ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375° degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Slice the squash in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the middle of the squash. Drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash on the baking sheet, cut sides down. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Place in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until you can easily pierce the squash with a paring knife. Remove squash from the oven and let it cool slightly. Using a fork, scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands and transfer to a bowl.
While the squash is cooking, in a large skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the shallots soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garbanzos and cook for a few minutes until they turn lightly golden brown. Add the kale, lemon juice, and white wine. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes, or until the kale is wilted. Add the squash, sun dried tomatoes, capers, nutritional yeast. Toss to well to evenly distribute all the goodness. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Serves 2
