Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter & Sage

This easy spaghetti squash with brown butter and sage recipe is the perfect side dish for any holiday meal or family dinner. It’s also a great way to enjoy this delicious squash all on its own:) Oh, and it’s low carb and Keto-friendly too!

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We grew SO many spaghetti squashes this year. (Spaghetti squashes or spaghetti squash?) In any case, we grew about a dozen of them, which actually isn’t all that much when I think about it. But it’s more than we’ve ever grown in our relatively small backyard garden. In comparison, we were only able to grow four pumpkins (one of which mysteriously turned to mush and ended up in the compost) and three butternut squash before the first frosts hit last week.

So I’ve found myself looking for recipe ideas that use spaghetti squash in different ways lately. Usually I make what I call a “spaghetti squash lasagna” where I just mix up the spaghetti squash strands with some tomato sauce, garlic and herbs and top with shredded mozzarella. OMG. So good. (And low carb too if you’re into that;)

But spaghetti squash can be a bit of a tricky squash to use up. For one, it’s not like any other type of squash. You don’t cube it or purée it. Instead, when you bake it and scrape it out of its skin it shreds more like spaghetti-like strands (hence the name) than, say, a pumpkin or a butternut squash. So you wouldn’t typically use it the same way you would other types of summer or winter squashes. Instead, you’d use it more like spaghetti noodles.

If you’re looking for low carb pasta alternatives, spaghetti squash strands are a perfect choice, and can be easily used just like regular noodles and topped with your favourite spaghetti sauce. Or you can melt cheese on top and turn it into “lasagna.” Or you can add the long strands to stir-fries (or use in place of stir-fry noodles) or simply enjoy it with a little olive oil and sea salt or some melted butter. All good options – especially if you’re craving comfort food on a low carb diet.

But I wanted to go one further and make my spaghetti squash a little more decadent. So after learning how easy (and delicious) it is to make brown butter this summer when I made peach cobbler with vanilla and brown butter, and knowing how good brown butter is when it’s infused with sage, plus the fact that I have access to a whole bunch of fresh sage growing in my backyard, I came up with the basic concept for this simple but delicious and fancy sounding recipe.

To make it even fancier and more delicious, I top mine with mizithra cheese and a fried sage leaf. Mizithra is a hard, sheep/goat cheese of Greek origins that’s slightly saltier and more dry and crumbly than parmesan cheese so it compliments the rich, nutty flavour of the brown butter really well. Plus I found some at one of our local delis the other day so I just happened to have some on hand!

But if you don’t have mizithra, parmesan cheese will work just fine:)

Not only did the indulgent brown butter and sage elevate the whole spaghetti squash, but by using  squash in place of regular spaghetti noodles, you can keep the carb count a little lower while you’re enjoying the full flavour of the brown butter (a perfect dish for anyone following the Keto diet!). Plus our three-year-old daughter, Evelyn actually asked to have some. This just doesn’t happen with vegetables. Ever.

Plus, since it’s Thanksgiving this weekend here in Canada, it also makes for a perfect holiday dinner side dish that goes well with turkey and stuffing and all the other fall fixings. But in all seriousness, it’s pretty good all on its own too.

So if you also have a bunch of spaghetti squash on your hands and are looking for new recipes, or you’re planning your Thanksgiving or holiday meals and looking to try something new and different while still keeping things traditional and seasonal, I highly encourage you to try out this great recipe. It’s easier (and quicker) than it sounds to make and somehow even more delicious than it sounds to eat.

And if you have any favourite spaghetti squash recipes you don’t mind sharing, let me know in the comments below! (I still have about nine more to go:)

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Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter & Sage

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 large (or two medium) whole spaghetti squash
• ½ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons dried sage)
• Mizithra cheese to top (or substitute Parmesan cheese)
• 1 whole sage leaf, fried to top (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Prepare the spaghetti squash: using a sharp knife, cut in half lengthwise on a sturdy cutting board or flat surface, and scoop out the guts and seeds. Rub the inside of the squash with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place each half of the squash flesh side down (outer skin side up) on a baking pan and bake for 40 minutes until fork tender (baking time may depend on the size of your squash).
2. Allow spaghetti squash halves to cool, then use a large metal spoon to scoop the stringy insides into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Make the brown butter: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently to cook evenly and prevent burning. After a few minutes, the melted butter will foam up and start changing colour from yellow to golden brown. You’ll also notice it smells a bit “nuttier.” This means the brown butter is ready. Add the sage and stir to combine.
4. Pour brown butter and sage mixture over the spaghetti squash and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with mizithra or parmesan cheese and a fried sage leaf if you like. (To fry sage leaves, melt a little butter over medium high heat. Add sage leaves and fry until crispy.)

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