Southwestern Spaghetti Squash with Chipotle Peppers and Cheese

How many of you know how to cook a squash? I find that most people don’t know how to cook this often overlooked vegetable. There are so many recipes out there to use squash as a side dish or soup. Plus there are many kinds of squash and they are each loaded with vitamins and minerals. Do yourself a favor and try a squash at least once. You may find yourself craving it. My family eats one at least once a week.

My first experience with squash was with a spaghetti squash. I followed the directions on how to cook it in the oven, scraped out the inside until it resembled strands of spaghetti (how it gots it name) and ate it with spaghetti sauce. It really was a pleasant change from pasta.

For my second experience with squash I cooked an acorn squash and loaded it with brown sugar. Not as healthy as some would want but it was good. Now we eat soup made with butternut squash or acorn squash and often times just have it as a side dish with turkey burgers or chicken meals.

Here’s a recipe to serve as a side dish that could be good for a first timer.

3 lb Spaghetti squash

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

extra virgin olive oil

½ cup queso fresco cheese

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

½ t kosher salt

½ t freshly ground black pepper

Using a large, sharp knife, pierce a 3-pound spaghetti squash in several places. Place the spaghetti squash in a glass baking dish and cook in the microwave on high for about 15 minutes, turning the squash halfway through cooking.

Before handling, let the squash stand for 10 minutes. Cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibers. Using a fork, twist out strands of the spaghetti squash flesh and place in a large bowl.

Remove seeds and finely chop one or two (depending on your heat tolerance) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you will not use the extra sauce in this recipe). Place the chopped peppers in a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Pour the olive oil mixture into the spaghetti squash and toss until combined. Add 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the spaghetti squash and toss again. Serve and garnish with additional queso fresco cheese and sprigs of cilantro.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.