From Our Kitchen to Yours: Spaghetti Squash with Sungold Tomato Sauce and Shrimp

This is a really easy and delicious recipe that is great for weeknights. It’s rich, comforting, and healthy-ish by using squash instead of pasta (although the Sungold sauce is great with regular pasta too)! 

Though you can find these ingredients at the grocery store all year long, Sungold cherry tomatoes are really the best at the end of summer and are like a dollop of sunshine you can pop right in your mouth. They are sweet, lightly acidic and a beautiful color. Roasting them with garlic and olive oil brings an unctuousness that is only multiplied by the fact that this sauce is finished by blending the roasted tomatoes with butter. 

Ingredients

Spaghetti Squash 

• 1 large spaghetti squash, halved and deseeded 
• olive oil 
• kosher salt 

Sungold Tomato Sauce 

• 1 lb. Sungold cherry tomatoes 
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 
• kosher salt 
• 1 stick grass-fed salted butter

Shrimp 

• 1 lb. shrimp or prawns, shelled, deveined, tails removed 
• 2 Tbsp. salted grass-fed butter 
• kosher salt 
• 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• the juice of ½ lemon  
• minced fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish 
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 

Recipe Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 

Step 1: Roast the Spaghetti Squash

Coat the halved and seeded spaghetti squash with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and roast on the center oven rack for about one hour.   

Test for doneness: the edges of the squash should be lightly caramelized, and the flesh should be easily pierced with a fork so that it can be shredded for serving. 

Step 2: Roast the Tomatoes

Drizzle olive oil over a baking sheet and arrange the tomatoes in a single layer with the four cloves of smashed garlic.   

Place baking sheet in the 400-degree oven on a separate rack from the squash.   

Roast for about 30 minutes, until the tomato skins are just barely touched with a caramel color and the garlic is slightly browned and fragrant.

Step 3: Puree the Sauce

Immediately transfer the roasted tomatoes and garlic to a blender or food processor, add the stick of butter and blend until the texture is smooth and pourable.   

Add olive oil to adjust consistency, or water if you want a less rich sauce. Salt to taste, (taste first). Set aside in a small saucepan or skillet.

Chef’s Tip: Once the sauce in done, you’ll probably have about 20 minutes left to go on the squash (the sauce is so easy!). I recommend enjoying a glass of wine while you prepare to finish the dish.

Step 4: Prep Shrimp

If not already cleaned, skin and devein the shrimp under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Toss the cleaned shrimp with minced garlic and olive oil.

Step 5: Shred the Squash

Shred the roasted squash using two forks. Transfer shredded squash into a bowl and discard the skin. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and lightly salt to taste. The flesh will be very hot, be careful not to burn yourself on the steam or the flesh. Set aside.

Step 6: Sauté Shrimp 

1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.   
2. Once the oil and butter are hot and shimmering, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.   
3. Once the pepper is fragrant, add the garlic tossed shrimp and sauté about 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.  
4. Remove skillet from heat and mix in the minced parsley and lemon juice.  

Assembly

There are a few different ways you can assemble this dish, depending on the style or presentation. I personally like to make individual plates with layers of textures and flavors to mix together bite by bite, so I start by laying a bed of spaghetti squash, adding a healthy helping of Sungold tomato sauce, topped with shrimp and finished with cracked ground pepper. You can add parmesan cheese as well.   

If you’re going for a more “family style” presentation, warm a large skillet, add the sauce, mix in the squash, then add the shrimp. Stir everything together and serve in a large bowl. Top with fresh-cracked pepper and/or parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!