Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Sausage

This healthy Pesto Spaghetti Squash makes an easy dinner that's is packed with protein, veggies, and quick homemade basil pesto. It's good for you, low carb, and can be easily adapted for Whole30 and Paleo diets.

Sometimes the very best recipes are ones that happen completely by accident and necessity. This is one of those recipes. Originally I was planning on making a creamy basil spaghetti squash dish, which I probably will still make eventually, but I realized I had completely forgotten the cream element of the sauce. Staring at the ingredients and determined to make something for dinner, I immediately thought of pesto.

Not only is pesto the perfect vehicle for all the basil, but it's also something I absolutely love with spaghetti squash. It mimics some of my favorite pasta dishes and the pesto and slightly sweet spaghetti squash are made for each other. 

Then to pack in even more flavor into this pesto spaghetti squash, I added some browned lean turkey sausage. The seasoning of the sausage kicks up the flavor of the whole dish and adds protein to make it a more complete meal. You could use almost any protein you like - chicken, shrimp, ground turkey, tofu, or even white beans would work.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

There are lots of different ways you can cook spaghetti squash for this recipe. The easiest is to steam it in the microwave. Start by poking holes into the squash using a fork or sharp knife. Then place it on a microwave safe dish and microwave for 12-15 minutes until it is soft to the touch and you can press into the skin with your finger. Remove from the microwave and carefully cut in half. Remove the sands and use a fork to separate into strands.

To roast the spaghetti squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half using a sharp knife. Remove the seeds using a spoon. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes until tender. Use a fork to remove the squash into strands.

How to Make Homemade Pesto

To keep things light, this recipe uses a skinny pesto that uses less than half the amount of oil normally called for in a pesto recipe. However, you can defintiely swap in a store-bought pesto if you don't want to take the time to make your own. Here's the basic recipe for pesto:

• 2 cups basil leaves, packed
• 6 tbsp. water (or olive oil)
• 4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (or other nut)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Directions: Add all the ingredients to a high powered blender or food processor and blend/pulse until combined.

Tips for Making this Pesto Spaghetti Squash

• Pesto can be made all kinds of different ways. Traditionally it uses basil and pine nuts, but you can try different greens and nuts. I love making it with spinach, cilantro, kale, or parsley. You can use walnuts, almonds, and even cashews. For a more traditional style, add some extra olive oil and for a creamy version add some cream cheese or half and half.
• Spaghetti squash can be roasted in the oven or quickly cooked in the microwave. Roasting it will add a touch more flavor but with such a flavorful sauce, you can't really taste the difference in this recipe.
• For a Whole30 or Paleo version, leave out the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Use a touch more olive oil in the pesto and add some extra salt if needed.
• For some extra veggies, toss in some fresh or cooked cherry tomatoes. You can also use canned diced tomatoes.

Looking for more spaghetti squash recipes?

• Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs with Fresh Mozzarella
• Spicy Turkey Spaghetti Squash Bolognese
• Creamy Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Broccoli
• Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
• Low Carb Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta