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Recipe
2 hr

Spaghetti Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Pecorino

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Spaghetti Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Pecorino
Author: Ashley Moore

Recipe By Ashley Moore

Published on September 12, 2024

Sure, you can toss it with butter (yawn) or pretend it’s pasta (it’s not). But we wanted a more flavorful approach.

Time

2 hr

Yield

4 to 6

Why This Recipe Works

Looking at these yellow, oblong squash, you would never know that inside are hundreds of sweet noodle-like strands that resemble spaghetti. After roasting halved squash cut side down in a hot oven, we let the squash cool and then scraped out the strands with a fork. We tossed the cooked squash with a bright vinaigrette, halved grape tomatoes, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Ingredients

1 (2 ½-pound) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 7 teaspoons juice
½ cup halved grape tomatoes
1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 shallot, sliced thin
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast squash until just tender and tip of paring knife can easily be slipped into flesh, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer squash to wire rack, cut side up, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
    Recipe Tip
    Plan ahead: The squash needs to cool for 1 hour after roasting.
  2. Combine lemon zest and juice, remaining ¼ cup oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Holding squash over bowl, use fork to scrape flesh from skin into strands; discard skin.
  3. Add tomatoes to bowl with squash and toss gently to coat with dressing. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with Pecorino, basil, shallot, and pine nuts. Drizzle with extra oil before serving.

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Spaghetti Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Pecorino

Recipe By Ashley Moore

Published on September 12, 2024

Time

2 hr

Yield

4 to 6

Spaghetti Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Pecorino

Ingredients

1 (2 ½-pound) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzlingSalt and pepper2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 7 teaspoons juice½ cup halved grape tomatoes1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup)¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves1 shallot, sliced thin2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast squash until just tender and tip of paring knife can easily be slipped into flesh, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer squash to wire rack, cut side up, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
    Recipe Tip
    Plan ahead: The squash needs to cool for 1 hour after roasting.
  2. Combine lemon zest and juice, remaining ¼ cup oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Holding squash over bowl, use fork to scrape flesh from skin into strands; discard skin.
  3. Add tomatoes to bowl with squash and toss gently to coat with dressing. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with Pecorino, basil, shallot, and pine nuts. Drizzle with extra oil before serving.
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