Black Bean Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I like the idea of spaghetti squash, but I don't always like the reality of it.  Replacing actual noodles with a healthier, noodle-like vegetable seems smart, but I've come to realize that the squash just won't taste the same as real noodles (no matter how badly I want it to).  I also find it a big pain to scrape all the "pasta" out of the squash after it's cooked, and I usually end up burning myself at some point in the process. 

That being said, I really love all other kinds of squash and wasn't ready to give up on spaghetti squash all together.  I wanted to prepare it in a way that would be easy (no scraping) and wouldn't depend on the squash trying to taste like something it wasn't.  Since it's hard to go wrong with roasted vegetables + beans + melty cheese, I thought it might work well to roast the squash and then stuff it with an enchilada-style mixture.

This turned out to be a very wise idea.  

Aside from being delicious, this recipe is great because it involves zero chopping, takes only about 10 minutes of hands on time, and is full of healthy vegetables hidden beneath the cheesy goodness.  This is definitely how I will be preparing spaghetti squash from now on. 

Black Bean Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Serves: 2 (very large servings)

Total time: 1 hour

Hands-on time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
1 cup enchilada sauce 

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn 

1 cup shredded cheese (non-dairy or regular, divided)
Optional toppings: diced avocado, cilantro, salsa, etc. 

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Brush the inside of the spaghetti squash with oil and season with a pinch of salt. 

3. Place on baking sheet and roast, skin side up, until tender (30-45 minutes). 

4. Meanwhile, mix the black beans, corn, rice, enchilada sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese in a large bowl. 

5. Once the squash is done, divide the enchilada mixture between the two squash halves and top with remaining cheese. 

6. Return the squash to the oven for 10 minutes at 400, just to make sure everything is warm.  Then, crank the heat up and broil until the cheese turns a light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.

7. Garnish and eat! 

 I highly recommend topping the squash with avocado...it gave the dish a creamy texture that really took it to the next level.  No one would have ever guessed this was completely vegan. 

Just look at all of that cheesy, stringy goodness. 

Until next time!