Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp and Bacon

I’ve given in and finally started making fall recipes. Last week, I mentioned that I wasn’t concerned with things like pumpkin and spice, but that was all a lie. I live for pumpkin and spice and all things fall. It is my favorite season for a number of reasons: football, my birthday (which these days, I look forward to less and less), sweater weather and recipes that are hearty, filling and warmth inducing.

Spaghetti squash with shrimp and bacon (Photo: Lanna Nguyen/DC on Heels)

Although I am a self-proclaimed foodie and make it a point to try new restaurants as much as I can, I also really enjoy cooking. Let’s be real, I’m a young professional with a rookie paycheck and eating out is really a luxury, not a habit. Cooking homemade meals is not only a gratifying accomplishment, it’s cost effective and, in a lot of ways, can be much healthier than takeout options. I tried this recipe out over the weekend and am already in love. It’s so easy, so tasty, so healthy (if you want it to be) and so autumn. It was a perfect meal for what felt like the first real fall weekend in the DMV. I adapted the recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers and put my own spin on it (read: I added bacon).

Spaghetti squash with shrimp and bacon (Photo: Lanna Nguyen/DC on Heels)

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
• 1/4 cup of water
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (you may use low-fat if preferred)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 medium shrimp
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled into pieces
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, for serving (optional)

Spaghetti squash with shrimp and bacon (Photo: Lanna Nguyen/DC on Heels)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a sharp knife (be careful, I almost lost a few fingers during this step), slice the squash in half, lengthwise
3. Scoop out the innards (aka seeds and stringy parts)
4. Place both halves in a large baking dish and add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the dish.
5. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes. Remove and let it cool for 10 minutes.
6. Using a fork, scrape out the spaghetti squash and place into a separate bowl.
7. Add marinara sauce, salt and pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and chili flakes to the spaghetti squash and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
8. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
9. Divide the sauced and seasoned spaghetti squash evenly into the shells, and equally distribute mozzarella cheese on top
10. Place the spaghetti squash on a large baking sheet, and bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
11. While the squash is in the oven, season your shrimp with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a medium hot pan and toss the shrimp for about 45 seconds on each side. Remove from stove and set aside.
12. When the cheese is sufficiently melted on the squash, remove the pan and top with shrimp, bacon crumbles, parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs. Place back into the oven for 5 more minutes
13. Place the squash on a serving platter, top with basil and enjoy!

 
Recipe adapted from Baker by Nature

Lanna Nguyen

A native of Northern Virginia, Lanna is a full-time marketing professional. Outside her cube, she can be found roaming D.C. for the perfect brunch spots, discovering new restaurants and trying to recreate all of her mom’s recipes. When she’s not out finding new ways to expand her waistline, you can catch her at her favorite spin studio attempting to offset her foodie appetite.