Spaghetti Squash With Basil Pesto & Jowl Bacon
As I’ve stated in other blog post spaghetti squash is my favorite substitution for traditional pasta. When it’s roasted its’ texture remains al dente, the flavor is very light therefore it blends well with most flavors & when it’s reheated it retains its’ al dente texture!
A few week’s ago I got jowl bacon, I don’t know how to describe it’s flavor accept that it’s fricon delicious! I decided to use half of it for a simple flavorful meal and leave the rest for the hubs to cook for weekend breakfasts since it’s his most favorite meat next to steak. I wanted a weeknight meal with a flavor profile that would not take over the flavor of the jowl bacon. The spaghetti squash with basil pesto seemed like the perfect pairing with jowl bacon and I was oh so right. If you want the meal to be even more filling, add another protein such as mahi-mahi or chicken breasts rubbed with some of my favorite spices: smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt & black pepper.
As always, Thanks so much for stopping by! CHEERS TO A HAPPY & HEALTHY DAY!
Roasted Spaghetti Squash With Basil Pesto & Jowl Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 Large Spaghetti Squash Roasted
- 1/2 Pound Bacon of your Choice I used Jowl Bacon from a local farmer
- 2 TBSP Butter
- INGREDIENTS FOR BASIL PESTO
- 3 OZ Fresh Basil Leaves or approximately 4 packed Cups
- 1 OZ Fresh Parsley Leaves or approximately 1 packed Cup
- 4 Garlic cloves Minced
- 2/3 Cup Walnuts or Pine Nuts
- 1/2 tsp each of salt & black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 Lemon
- 1/2 Cup olive oil
Instructions
- Roast the spaghetti squash at 375 till it pierces easily with a fork. I used to cut it vertically but recently watched a video by @pretend_its_a_donut & it's much easier to cut the squash horizontally before roasting it.
- While the spaghetti is roasting, make the bacon in a stovetop pan.Once the bacon is finished cooking, do not throw away the bacon fat and drippings, it is absolute deliciousness added to the final dish. Instead keep a small amount of bacon fat in the pan, add a quarter cup water to deglaze the drippings from the bottom of the pan.
- Place all of the ingredients for pesto into a blender or food processor & blend till it's well combined & chopped into very small pieces, but not pureed. This recipe makes 1 Cup. The leftovers freeze well or stays fresh refrigerated for 5-6 days.
- Once the squash is cooked scrape out the spaghetti and place into the frying pan with the bacon dripping, add pesto and bacon, mix well. Taste and add salt if needed.
- This can be a stand along meal for or I like to make it with mahi-mahi that's sprinkled with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt & black pepper. Bring pan to medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. Sear each side for approximately 5 minutes or until the layers of the fish fall apart easily. Serve alongside the butternut squash & a glass of wine if you so wish.
