Pecan Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Peas & Kale

Pecan Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Peas & Kale Recipe

By Veegs

🔪Prep Time: 15 minutes

👩‍🍳Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium (2-pound) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed

Olive oil spray

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 bunch (12 to 16 ounces) kale, stems removed, chopped

1½ cups green peas (fresh or thawed frozen)

Pepita Parmesan, optional

Pecan Pesto

½ cup pecan pieces

2 garlic cloves

2 cups loosely packed chopped greens of your choice (spinach, kale, or chard)

1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 400°F .

2Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

3Place the two halves of the squash on the baking sheet, cut side up.

4Lightly spray the top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the flesh is easily pulled apart with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

6While the squash is roasting, make the pesto : Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until mostly smooth (teeny chunks or pieces are okay), pausing to scrape the sides as needed. Set aside until ready to use.

7Once the squash is cool enough to touch, use a fork to tear the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.

8Heat the olive oil in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat.

9Add the shallot and cook until just translucent.

10Add the kale, peas, and squash strands and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale begins to wilt.

11Stir in the pesto sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

12Serve immediately, topped with Pepita Parmesan, if desired. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

13In the mood for pasta? Replace the spaghetti squash with cooked pasta of your choice. Rice would be another good option. In either case, pick up the recipe at step 2, making the pesto. To make this oil-free, you can replace all the olive oil with low-sodium vegetable broth or water.

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Earth of Maria

Earth of Maria

I’ve never been good at introductions because when they’re needed, I seem to forget every single interesting thing about myself. But I guess we’ll start with the basics. My name is Maria, and I am a twenty year old student from England. I study history at the University of Oxford and live in Brighton, but I was born in Russia and moved to the UK around ten years ago. I’m a vegan foodie (as you can probably tell by this blog), a lover of long walks and somewhere awkwardly between extrovert and introvert. Veganism and healthy eating are a huge part of my life, given that both have helped me overcome an unhealthy relationship with food. Finding balance took a lot of time and patience. But, as with many things in life, hard work proved 110% worth it! Whenever I’m not in the kitchen or working in my room, you’ll often find me at the gym, or at the grocery store looking for inspo for my next recipe.