The squash has been coming in gorgeous and heavy this year! We’ve been making our way through dozens of delicata, acorn, and spaghetti squash. No Hubbards or butternut yet, but they’re coming! As far as I am concerned, there is always room for more. I especially love how they can sit on the counter for weeks and weeks without any negative consequences. So if we happen to have more than we can use at the moment, it’s no problem — just wait a little while! They will still be fine. 

One significant challenge associated with large end-of-season squash varieties is their thick skin, the cutting of which can be difficult at best and even bordering, occasionally, on dangerous. This recipe makes that a non-issue. One of the major benefits of cooking the entire spaghetti squash whole is that it yields easily to the knife by the time you get around to slicing it in half. 

You can think of this recipe as a yellow vegetable, or, with the addition of tofu, as a complete protein. I’ve made it with cheese (vegan for me) and without, and both versions have been great. In any case, the relatively small amount of cheese in this recipe assigns it a supporting role more like sprinkling spaghetti with parmigiana than, say, the leading role cheese plays in a traditional cheese lasagna. 

I hope you like it — this recipe is entirely mine. 

spaghetti squash, 1 large
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, plus 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cake extra-firm tofu, cubed
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 32-oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I used Rao’s homemade marinara sauce)
1/2 tsp. salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp. oregano
optional: 2 slices vegan white cheddar OR 2-3 thin slices of mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400F. Lay spaghetti squash on a foil-covered baking sheet, and bake 45 minutes until a sharp knife easily pierces the skin and flesh.

While the squash cooks, mince the garlic with salt until it comes together to form a paste. Stir the garlic paste into the olive oil, and set aside for 15-20 minutes while the squash continues baking. Then cube the tofu, juice the lemon, and slice the cheese into strips.

When the squash is ready, remove it from the oven, allow to cool 10-15 minutes, and then use a serrated knife to slice it in half the long way. Remove and discard the seeds and membranes. Slowly drag a fork along the flesh lengthwise so that the soft flesh separates from the hard shell in long, spaghetti-like strands. Collect the strands in a large bowl and discard the shell. 

Add the lemon juice, garlic-infused oil (including the garlic), additional salt, and ground pepper to the squash, and mix gently. Fold in the cubes of tofu, and mix again. Empty one-half the squash mixture into a dutch oven or large pottery bowl suitable for oven cooking. 

Pour approximately half the jar of spaghetti sauce into the bowl, and mix very gently to keep the tofu cubes and spaghetti squash strands as intact as possible. Place the strips of cheese (optional) on top of the squash, cover with remaining squash mixture, and pour the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Poke holes through the sauce with a fork so some of the sauce trickles down into the squash, but don’t stir it up this time. Sprinkle the top with oregano. 

Return to 400F oven for 45 minutes until edges are very bubbly and the watery mixture at the sides appears to be thickening slightly. Cover with a piece of foil if the top starts to look like it might be getting close to overdone. Remove from oven and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 as a main course with a green salad, or 8-10 as a side.