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Summertime Spaghetti Squash

Cooking spaghetti squash in the microwave steams the squash and the strands come out nicely—unlike cooking it in a conventional oven, which can cause the strands to bake to the skin. A simple quick fresh pesto is a snappy sauce for the steamed squash.

Cooks' Note

Dried Zante currants that have been soaked in red wine are a nice addition to this dish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

1 (3- to 3Ā 1/2-pound) spaghetti squash
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prick the squash in 3 or 4 places with a fork, put it on a plate, and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave at full power for 9 minutes. Let the squash stand, still covered, for another 5 minutes.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, make the pesto. Put the basil, cheese, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and pulse until well combined.

    Step 3

    Halve the squash and scrape out the seeds. Using a fork, scoop the pulp into a large bowl. Add pesto to taste and toss to combine.

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