Spaghetti Squash w/ Chickpeas & Kale

Sun-dried tomatoes give this vegan spaghetti squash recipe a savory pop. Hearty from chickpeas & kale, it's a great fall or winter weeknight dinner.

Jeanine
Donofrio

Phoebe
Moore

Updated: Jun 26, 2024

The first time I had spaghetti squash, it was served with a big scoop of store-bought marinara sauce mixed in. It was slimy and goop-y and decidedly not spaghetti-like.

About a month ago, ditching the pasta idea completely, I planned a post for bbq spaghetti squash tacos. I have a super cute photo to prove that the meal existed, but the recipe ended in total disaster.

So, long story short, I’ve learned that I prefer my spaghetti squash as simple as possible and most importantly: sauce-less. The roasted strands come out of the oven with a nice al-dente bite, but, smothered in sauce, they become just too mushy for me. Check out this post to see how I cook spaghetti squash to get the yummy al dente strands you’ll want for this recipe.

In this recipe, the roasted squash strands are lightly tossed with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and a good squeeze of lemon. I added chickpeas and kale to make it a full meal and toasted some pine nuts for crunch. Sun dried tomatoes add a nice pop of flavor, but you could add anything briny that you like – freshly roasted tomatoes, capers, or maybe some chopped kalamata olives.

So while spaghetti squash is not pasta and it never will be, this veggie-packed bowl just moved up my list as a healthy weeknight favorite.

If you loved this recipe, try these roasted fall vegetable recipes next:

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Parmesan
• Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest

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Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas and Kale

rate this recipe:

4.94 from 226 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Serves 2 to 3

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This easy spaghetti squash with kale is a great healthy weeknight dinner! Flavored with rosemary, lemon, and sun-dried tomatoes, it's a delicious vegan and gluten-free dish.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 spaghetti squash
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 whole garlic clove
• ▢ ½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• ▢ Red pepper flakes
• ▢ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or roasted)
• ▢ 2 cups chopped kale leaves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, or capers or olives
• ▢ ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• ▢ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400℉.
• Prepare the spaghetti squash following the directions in this post.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan, then add the shallots, the whole garlic clove (we’ll remove it later), rosemary, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a few pinches of salt, and several grinds of pepper.
• Once the shallot starts to soften, add the chickpeas and cook for a few minutes until lightly golden brown. If you’re using roasted chickpeas, add them at the end of the recipe instead. Remove the garlic clove, add the kale and lemon juice, and stir.
• Once the kale is partially wilted, add the squash strands, the sun-dried tomatoes, a little grated Parmesan, and more salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to incorporate. Remove from the heat and top with the toasted pine nuts and more grated cheese.

Notes

Vegan option - skip the cheese