Baked Goat Cheese Spaghetti Squash

If you have been on any social media lately, especially Tik Tok, you have probably seen the baked feta pasta video that has gone viral. Everyone and their mother has recreated this dish, and honestly I wasn’t mad about it. I was very curious to try it, but when I stumbled upon a goat cheese version that’s when I decided I NEEDED to try it.

This version not only uses goat cheese, which is creamier and less salty than feta, but there are also a few more vegetables incorporated as well. The best part about this dish is it’s extremely customizable to your preferences, and it takes little to no prep. I used spaghetti squash to keep the dish plant focused, but again it’s completely customizable.

Here’s how you make it.

Ingredients:

• 1 small-medium spaghetti squash

• 1 1/2-2 cups cherry tomatoes

• 1 bunch broccolini

• 1 bulb garlic

• 1/2 red onion sliced

• 1/2 cup green olives chopped

• 1/2 lemon zest

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil or more

• 5 oz goat cheese or more (must be a block)

• Red pepper flakes to taste

• Dried oregano to taste

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Heat your oven to 400. Cut open the spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds/loose inside. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and punch holes in the skin side using a fork. Roast for 30 minutes, cut side down. Set aside.

• While your spaghetti squash cooks, assemble the rest of your ingredients in a baking dish. Start by adding the tomatoes (no need to cut), red onion, olives, and broccolini. Make sure to trim the bottoms of the broccolini and slice down the center if the stalks are thick. Coat with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Slice off the top of the garlic bulb so you can see the cloves, cover in olive oil, and add to the backing dish. Nestle the goat cheese in the center, and coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Bake in the over for 30 minutes.

• As your vegetables are baking, use a fork to scrape out the insides of the spaghetti squash and place in a bowl. When the vegetables are done, remove the garlic, and start to mix everything together - breaking up the cheese and popping the tomatoes. When the garlic is cool enough to handle squeeze out the cloves. Add in the spaghetti squash and mix everything together again. Add more seasoning if needed. Top with fresh basil and enjoy!