pretty by the bay

When I first started this blog, I asked Corey to name his favorite recipes so I’d have an idea of what to feature on Pretty By the Bay. He immediately mentioned one of the simplest recipes in my repertoire – Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Garbanzo Beans. I’ve been making this for years, and until we had that conversation I had no idea Corey loved it so much. Simple food is best, I suppose!

This is a delicious side dish or a hearty vegetarian meal. I threw it together many moons ago when I bought my first spaghetti squash and had no idea what to do with it. The crunchy, garlicky chickpeas add nice flavor and texture to the otherwise bland-ish squash. Throw in a bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese, and presto:  instant husband-pleasing dinner.

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Garbanzo Beans

serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a hearty main course

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and strings removed

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp olive oil plus additional oil to taste

2 – 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle the squash halves with salt and pepper and place face down on a lightly sprayed/oiled baking sheet. Roast for about an hour, or until tender*.

Meanwhile, toss the garbanzo beans with 2 tsp olive oil, minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Place the beans in a single layer in a glass casserole dish. Cook the beans alongside the squash for the final 20 – 25 minutes of roasting. You will need to shake the pan and/or stir the beans once or twice as they cook. The beans are done when they are golden brown and crisp on the outside.

Remove the squash and beans from the oven. Use two forks to scrape the strands from each squash half. Place the squash strands in a large bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper, olive oil (if desired) and grated parmesan cheese. Top with the roasted garbanzo beans and serve.

*If you’re short on time, you can also cook the squash in the microwave. Place the halves in a microwaveable dish, add a bit of water and cover. Microwave 12 – 14 minutes or until the squash is tender.