Fall is here which means it’s time for all of my squash recipes to resurface! And when I think cozy squash dinners, this Creamy Sage Spaghetti Squash is always top of my list. It tastes like adult mac n’ cheese, but has a few extra elements to it that make it simple, but really special.
First, sage fries in a bit of butter to both infuse the butter with flavor, but then crisp up the sage. This gives us a really great base to add our nutritional yeast, which serves both as a thickener and as the ingredient that makes all of that delicious cheesy flavor in this spaghetti squash.
The whole thing needs one sheet pan and one skillet, which makes this a real contender on my simple dinners list. Plus, who doesn’t love spaghetti squash?
Table of contents
The ingredients you will need for this creamy spaghetti squash
When the ingredients list for a recipe list is low, you know it’s because these ingredients do some heavy lifting. Here is what you will need:
- 2 medium spaghetti squash, each weighing 2 pounds a piece when whole
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 8-10 sage leaves
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- Freshly ground black pepper
What exactly is a béchamel sauce?
A béchamel sauce is one of the five French mother sauces, and in my opinion it’s the most simple. It’s simply a roux, so flour plus fat (usually butter) that is then thinned out with milk to make a creamy sauce.
In this recipe we are harnessing that technique, but instead of using flour to thicken the sauce, we are using nutritional yeast as a flavor builder and thickener. A little cornstarch helps out along the way and keeps everything gluten-free.
Tips and tricks on how to combine the sauce and squash
Spaghetti squash is a funny squash because of how it gets, well, spaghetti-y. If you’ve ever eaten one, you know the strands pull apart from the sides in a circle around the seeds, making it so that when you pull them from a cut half, they tend to just stick up in the air. While this makes them look like a muppet, it is great for us to make sure sauce gets into every spaghetti squash crevice.
My best tip for this creamy sage spaghetti squash is to pull the strands to that they are all still in the boat, but are spread out and detached from each other. Then the sauce will easily coat the strands and all you have to do is dive right in.
My second tip? Don’t do this while the squash is too warm. Otherwise you run the risk of the squash turning into mush when you pull it away from the skin. Let it cool a bit out of the oven!
Serving and storage suggestions for this recipe
This recipe is best served straight from the spaghetti squash boats, and it’s best stored that way, too!
If you are making this for a big dinner and are craving a bit more protein, I suggest serving it alongside a simple roast salmon or chicken, or a pot of Brothy Beans.
For storage, store these creamy spaghetti squash directly in their boats in an air-tight container. They will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. A gentle reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F is all you need to make them creamy again!
Looking for similar recipes?
I have a whole squash catalog that I love, here are a few favorites from the blog:
And that’s it for this Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Sage!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Sage
Equipment
- 1 large sauté pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium spaghetti squash each weighing 2 pounds a piece when whole
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 8-10 sage leaves
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F. Halve and deseed the squash. Place them face down on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes, or until the interior flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the squash are roasting, prepare your sauce.
- Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is fully melted, fry the sage leaves for 1-2 minutes, or until darkened a shade in color. Use tongs to pull them from the pan. Set the leaves on paper towels to cool and crisp up. Season the with a pinch of salt.
- Reduce the heat on the pan to medium-low. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add this to the pan and mix with the butter until you have the consistency of wet sand.
- Stirring constantly, pour in the milk in 1/4 cup increments. Stir until the milk has combined with the nutritional yeast, forming a creamy sauce. Make sure each batch of milk is fully combined before pouring in the next. It will feel thin at first, but it will thicken.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. When it looks like a smooth, creamy sauce, turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.
- When the squash are out of the oven, flip them and gently pull the spaghetti strands away from the sides, loosening them up and creating a lot of pockets for sauce to fall into.
- Pour a heaping 1/2 cup of sauce over each squash half, top with 2-3 crispy sage leaves and enjoy.
OK, I think I might be just absolutely genetically averse to Sage. What’s an herb you would substitute for in this recipe that might add the qualities that you appreciate in sage .
Thank you!
Rosemary is just as good!
Honestly I love spaghetti squash, so this was already a hit for me before it started. But the sauce is so good, it got my toddler to eat spaghetti squash! The sage is a really nice touch as well. This will be a season staple in our house.
A surprise hit! Even for my picky husband 🙂
Love this!! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This was delicious. I added barely sautéed mushrooms because I needed to used them up and added a bit of dried sage because I’m a fiend for it but it was so good.