DAIRY-FREE SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE

Amy Hunter is on vacation this week visiting the Ava Jane’s Kitchen team in Mexico. Enjoy this great recipe from our good friends at PaleoHacks.

Who doesn’t love a creamy, cheesy noodle casserole? You’ll be happy to know that it’s easy to reinvent this dish for a paleo diet.

The superhero for recreating noodles in this recipe is spaghetti squash, a great low-calorie and nutritious alternative to traditional pasta.

The “noodles” get tossed in a creamy coconut cream and bacon sauce. When you taste the finished dish, you won’t believe that this rich sauce doesn’t contain any cream cheese! Coconut cream can be purchased in a can, or you can use the thick cream from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk. Whatever you use, make sure you find a brand free of additives.

The whisked eggs help hold the casserole together, much like a grated semi-hard cheese would. The chopped up macadamia nuts add subtle crispiness to the top of the casserole. You can use chopped almonds or another raw nut of your choice if you like.

Don’t be intimidated by the steps in this recipe; it’s just a few simple ingredients and once you get going, the casserole comes together quickly. It’s a wonderful potluck dish and turns any weeknight dinner into a special occasion.

DAIRY-FREE SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE

DAIRY-FREE SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE

PaleoHacks

Servings

9

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • 5 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup very finely chopped raw macadamia nuts

Directions

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    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

    2. Very carefully, cut spaghettis squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
    3. Place halved sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Don’t let the squash get overcooked; you want “al dente” noodles.
    4. Let cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out “noodles” from the squash and transfer to a mixing bowl.

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    1. Heat up a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring.

    2. Add the garlic and saute just a minute.
    3. Stir in the coconut cream, onion powder, and some salt to taste. Bring to a simmer.
    4. In a small cup or ramekin, stir together the cold water and tapioca starch.
    5. Whisk this mixture into the simmering sauce. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat.
    6. Pour over the spaghetti squash in the mixing bowl and toss. Add salt to taste.
    7. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy.
    8. Fold into the spaghetti squash mixture.
    9. Transfer spaghetti squash mixture to an 8”x8” glass baking dish.
    10. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts, salt, and pepper.
    11. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375°F.
    12. Broil until the top is golden brown (watch closely so it doesn’t burn).
    13. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes.
    14. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
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