A hearty and healthy gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan friendly recipe for Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash.
The spaghetti squash craze is back in full force. #sorrynotsorry
And I'm pairing it up with my other latest obession. Thai food. Guys, I love love love love love Thai food.
Love.
My go to order? Pineapple Fried Rice to split for an app. Thai Iced Tea. Chicken Pad See Ew (make it spicy). Side of coconut rice. And once in a while... Sticky Sweet Rice with Thai Custard to split for dessert. Dinner of champions right there. #legit
And yes, there is ususally some leftovers. I'm a fatty, but even I have my limits when it comes to eating capacity.
Did I mention our new home is within 1 mile of this kick butt Thai place? It's just a coincidence, I promise. I didn't specifically pick this house because of it's proximity... or did I? Shhhh, don't tell Asheley.
Peanut sauce. Great.
Curry. Great.
Peanut sauce + curry = 🙂 🙂 🙂
If it were socially acceptable to drink the stuff and slap a smoothie label on it, I probably would. Oh please... don't judge me. You know you would too.
Since I obviously can't get take-out Thai food every night (or can I?), cooking up a healthy faux version at home is where it's at...
And with the exception of roasting the spaghetti squash, this meal comes together in under 30 minutes. Boom.
Roasting a spaghetti squash isn't a ton of work anyway. You literally throw it in the oven and walk away for awhile. Go help your kids with homework. Do that exercise DVD Eat some leftover Halloween candy. Put on the TV and catch that Law + Order SVU re-run for the 27th time.
Or hey, you could always roast the squash over the weekend, fridge it, and then heat it up right before serving.
One tiny thing... I know some vegetarians are totally fine with fish sauce. If so, rock on. But for my vegetarians out there who can't eat fish sauce and for all the vegans out there, you can swap out the fish sauce for a homemade version or just find a good substitute (google is telling me that Golden Mountain Sauce or just a bit of soy sauce can both serve as adequate subs).
Red Thai Curry Sauce slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum
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Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 3 carrots, shaved into thin strips with vegetable peeler
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch spinach leaves (stems removed)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
for the Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce*
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ⅓ cup finely crushed peanuts (in food processor)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Carefully cut your spaghetti squash in half with a large, sharp knife. Remove seeds and stringy guts, and brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place spaghetti squash, cut side down, on an aluminum-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45-60 minutes.
- To test if your squash is done, scrap the flesh with a fork. If the strands come off easily, it's done. Let the cooked spaghetti squash cool for about 5 minutes, then scrape all the flesh into a beautiful pile of spaghetti strands. Taste and season with some more Kosher salt and pepper if needed.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook pineapple, carrots, red bell pepper, and shallots for about 3-4 minutes, until softened but still with some crunch. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add spinach and desired amount of Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce and cook for 1 additional minute, or until spinach is wilted.
- Divide spaghetti squash among 4 bowls. Top with vegetable curry and garnish with scallions and chopped peanuts.
for the Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce
- Bring coconut milk to a simmer over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, brown sugar, and garlic. Whisk frequently and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Add peanuts and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until sauce reaches desired consistency. If it gets too thick, add a small amount of water and whisk.
Notes
*I know some vegetarians are totally fine with fish sauce. If so, rock on. But for my vegetarians out there who can't eat fish sauce and for all the vegans out there, you can swap out the fish sauce for a homemade version or just find a good substitute (google is telling me that Golden Mountain Sauce or just a bit of soy sauce can both serve as adequate subs).
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
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Chelsea
I LOVE spaghetti squash and this has got to be one of the most exciting recipes I've seen using it! I love all the additions and flavors you've got in this dish. Also while it's cooking I'd opt for the Halloween candy over the work out too 🙂 Ha!
Amy
Chris, this looks AMAZING! I am also a sucker for Thai food (and am incredibly jealous that you live so close to a great Thai place) but I can console myself by making this at home. Win win!
Chris
I know, I'm super lucky to live so close... it's a blessing and a curse really. Well, more of a blessing really hahaha
Oriana
Believe or not I never had spaghetti squash!! This is a great excuse to change that situation. Love the photos. Pinned!
Matt Robinson
We LOVE Thai food here too, Chris. And this looks so incredibly good! Great pics as always my friend. #wolfpackeats
Shashi
Heck yeah - I so so love that you used spaghetti squash like rice in this dish! I love spaghetti squash - it is wonderful at sopping up curries and sauces - and that's one heck of a curry to sop up!
I also love Thai food - luckily for me and my bank account - I don't know of a good one in close proximity - dang, I should have followed your lead and done my research before buying eh? 😉
Rachel
This looks SOOO bomb. And with spaghetti squash! I need to devour this. Pinned!
Kelly
Oh my gosh, I absolutely love this dish! We are obsessed with Thai food and combining peanut sauce and curry over spaghetti squash sounds like the best thing ever!! No judging here - I would totally guzzle that sauce right up too! Pinned!
Nicole
Hi Chris! I loveee spaghetti squash, and damn, you are on it with amazing looking spaghetti squash recipes!!
I never was crazy about Thai food until I actually went to Thailand.... and ate so much pad thai and sticky mango rice and tons of deliciousness! I think I'm just picky about Asian food in general in the US - it has got to be authentic or else I can do without it ya know?
Marcie
I love me some spaghetti squash, and you do some seriously amazing things with it! I don't have Thai food nearly enough, and that has got to change!
Sarah
Haha - for me it's all about the Thai curry and the mango sticky rice. In fact, I'm eating a bowl of popcorn right now and I 100% wish it were instead a bowl of mango sticky rice. Now i'm upset at my popcorn for being just popcorn.
Also, I wish I had this right now. We went to a thing tonight that was supposed to have food, but instead they had pizza with Fritos on it (um....) so now I'm home, hungry, and popcorn is my dinner. So obviously I went to look at food blogs. Pinned!
Ceara
Um, so I kinda wish I could reach into my screen and nom on this for lunch right now! It looks absolutely deeee-licious!!! I love that your replaced the noodles with spaghetti squash! Peanut sauce + Curry = aamaazing! Pinned!
Bri
I love Thai too! I think I could eat it every day but I don't want to ruin it if you know what I mean! This looks delicious and I love that you used spaghetti squash. Most spaghetti squash recipes are so boring..no this one! 🙂
Taylor
You KNOW that I love me some Thai food! I also happen to love all things spagetti squash (and your spag squash pad thai!) So, obviously, this is going to be my newest obsession! Pinned!
Zainab
Hahahha, I am so telling on you! U picked your house based on that kick butt restaurant. But I don't blame you!! I love thai too and cannot get enough. I just made a note of your order and that's going to be my next order. We have a thai restaurant 5 mins from us too. Until then, I'll be making this yummy red curry.
David
Hahaha...Law and Order SVU rerun for the 27th time. I totally know what you are talking about, my friend! And you know what, I bet this thai-inspired deliciousness would be the best meal ever to eat while watching some reruns. That's what the winter is for, right? Yummy food and reruns on tv? Nice work, Apple Cider Wolf! #WolfpackEats
Alice
I love Thai food too!!! A Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce with spaghetti squash?!!! oh my gawd, love this Chris!! and hey, if you chose your house because it was close to the Thai restaurant, there would be no judgment yo. In fact, that would be pretty awesome. 😛
kathy
Hi- do you know why all the pages I pinned from your site as you posted them now take me to a page on your blog which says page does not exist? When I look up the recipe it shows up so I don't understand why this is happening. I'm not having this problem with any other blogs- thanks!
Melanie
I totally need to get on the spaghetti squash bandwagon. And maybe you can convince me to love Thai food after all!
One day for sure I'm coming to New York and your going to show me around to some new delicacies! 🙂
P.S. Who's Tyler? 🙂
annie
Ahhhh! Yes color and texture! This looks amazing! I could swim in it!
Tash
Wow Chris, this is really something! I am so lovestruck by everything you post. Stop giving me food cravings!!
Kelly - A Side of Sweet
We just got our weekly email with what's in our CSA box this week. There's spaghetti squash in my future and I'm pretty sure this thai curry will be just the thing!
Nicole
Spaghetti Squash turns into a delicious red curry dish?? NO WAY! Oh my goodness! This recipe is complete genius 🙂
Karen
Peanut sauce is my jam. Loving this. WHERE DID YOU GET THAT PLATE?? excuse my yelling, I need to know.
Ashley
Did you say peanut sauce?? With curry? I can drink peanut sauce with a spoon - so um yeah, this sounds amazing. I still haven't used spaghetti squash yet this season - must fix that soon!
Katie
This is calling my name! Love that you did this Chris. The photos are STUN-the-freak-NING! 🙂 <3
Helen
I absolutely love anything with peanut sauce. I'm very intrigued by spaghetti squash (not sure we can get it over here in the UK), but it looks very impressive for not a whole lot of work. This is such a colourful, super tasty-sounding dish and I'd get you to cook this for me rather than going for a take-out any day!
Tanya W
I think it's so funny that most people that have "reviewed" this dish have never tried it but are just excited to try it. This is a real review.
This is delicious and a great combination of colorful, nutritious veggies. The sauce gives it staying power. My whole family loved it and it fed 6 of us easily for dinner with lunch sized leftover containers for 3 meals. We didn't have fresh pineapple, so we used canned. The pineapple definitely balanced the sweet and spicy combination of flavors. Next time I'll use 1.5 T of curry since a couple family members thought it a little too spicy. I didn't love the flavor of the sauce by itself, but it was fabulous when mixed with the veggies. I didn't bother removing the stems of the spinach... it wasn't necessary. We can never make something in the suggested cooking time. This took about an hour start to finish, and would have taken a little longer if my son didn't help with the veggies. But I expect next time I could do it in just under an hour without any help. With 3 parts of the recipe (squash, sauce, and veggies), you would need to be very organized and fast in the kitchen to beat that.
Thank you... my husband said he would be glad if I made it once a week!
Chris Cockren
Thank you for the kind review! Yes, if using baby spinach you can leave the stems on for sure!
Christine Solheim
This is a great template subbing veggies for different veggies and the first thing I have ever eaten that I enjoyed spaghetti sauce in