Spaghetti Squash With Pesto & Shrimp

This healthy spaghetti squash recipe is served with a kale miso pesto and sautéed shrimp. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and high in fibre and protein. All you need is 10 ingredients!

As much as I love regular spaghetti, sometimes a yummy spaghetti squash dish is just what I’m craving. There’s something so incredibly warming and nourishing about this winter squash that always hits the spot!

This pesto spaghetti squash with shrimp is packed with nutrition, like fibre, protein, and tons of micronutrients. As a dietitian, I always strive to share recipes that have a balance of nutrients to help you feel satisfied and energized from your meals.

This easy recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, but there are tons of ways you can modify this dish to suit your needs (or to use up what you have on hand). I share a bunch of recipe modification ideas below!

If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash before, I so hope you love it as much as I do!

Spaghetti Squash Nutrition

Spaghetti squash is a delicious winter squash that comes out in spaghetti-like strands. While it doesn’t exactly compare to pasta, I still love it for its taste and impressive nutrition profile!

Some of spaghetti squash’s health benefits:

• high in certain micronutrients like vitamin C, B6, manganese, niacin, and potassium
• rich in antioxidants (like beta-carotene and vitamin C), which helps to fight free radical damage to your body’s cells
• a GREAT source of dietary fibre, with a one-cup serving providing 9% of your daily needs (2.2 grams)
  • Fibre plays an important role in promoting digestive health, lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, and helping us feel satiated!

Shrimp Nutrition

Shrimp is not only delicious and easy to cook with, it’s also packed with nutrition benefits, such as:

• an excellent source of high-quality, complete protein – a standard 3-ounce or 85-gram serving provides 18 grams
• a good source of micronutrients like selenium, B12, phosphorus, niacin, zinc, magnesium, and iron
• a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which support the health of your heart and brain

Ingredients Needed

All you need to make this pesto spaghetti squash are 10 simple, healthy ingredients:

• spaghetti squash (medium to small size)
• shrimp (fresh or frozen)
• olive oil
• kale
• garlic
• nutritional yeast
• miso paste
• hemp seeds (or another nut/seed works for pesto)
• salt
• pepper

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Start by preheating your oven to 375F and lining a large baking sheet.

With a sharp chef’s knife, I like to cut off the ENDS of the squash first, so that you can stand it upright.

Then, cut down through the squash lengthwise until it separates into two halves. I find it helpful to use a dish towel to help push the sharp end of the knife down.

Next, remove the seeds from the squash. Drizzle and brush the insides of the squash with olive oil, and generously crack salt and pepper over top.

Flip the squash FACE SIDE DOWN onto the baking sheet, and place in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

Once the squash is cooked and tender, remove from the oven. Flip the squash over and let cool for a few minutes.

With a regular kitchen fork, scrape the flesh out of the squash into spaghetti-like strands (see picture below).

At this point, your spaghetti squash is ready and you can simply toss it with the pesto and shrimp!

Recipe Modifications & Variations

There are many ways you can modify this spaghetti squash recipe to suit your needs, for instance:

You don’t need to use this particular kale pesto recipe. I have another recipe for a basil and hemp seed pesto that would work perfectly. Otherwise, you are more than welcome to use store-bought pesto!

For a vegan version, you can omit the shrimp and instead serve the pesto spaghetti squash alongside a vegan protein source. The pesto is already dairy-free.

Likewise, you could serve the pesto spaghetti squash alongside any animal protein too, like chicken or baked salmon.

Feel free to add in some other veggies here if you’d like. Sautéed cherry tomatoes, zucchini slices, or broccoli could work well!

If you want to serve this kale pesto and shrimp with regular pasta or zucchini noodles, you can do that too!

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftover spaghetti squash can be stored in airtight containers for a meal prep/make ahead option.

They’ll keep for about 3-5 days and can easily be reheated in the microwave.

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Mexican-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Boats
• Baked Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce
• Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Did you give this Spaghetti Squash With Pesto & Shrimp Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!

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