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Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash | Killing Thyme

Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash

Lighten things up by bringing spicy and garlicky shrimp scampi to tender spaghetti squash.
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Servings: 2
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

  • 1 large, or two small, spaghetti squash
  • 1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined—keep the shells and set aside
  • olive oil
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced (I love it garlicky, so I used 6)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you'd like it)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, + more as needed
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon

Instructions

Cooking the spaghetti squash

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • With a fork, poke several holes in the spaghetti squash. Place it in the microwave and cook it for a minute or two to soften it up. This makes cutting it in half much easier. Repeat with the other squash if you're cooking two.
  • With oven mitts, carefully remove the squash from the microwave and place it on a cutting board. Cut the very ends off. Wearing oven mitts, slice into the squash lengthwise. I always do this with oven mitts on just in case there's a knife slip. You do have to apply quite a bit of pressure when slicing it, and hey, you never know. If you own chainmail, use that ;)
  • Once the squash is sliced open, take a spoon and scoop out the stringy innards and seeds. You can set the seeds aside to bake and eat for later, if you want.
  • Drizzle each half of squash with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. When ready, shred the squash with a fork and transfer to a bowl or dish; set aside.

Shrimp Scampi

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate. Add the garlic and onions, and sauté until fragrant, about one minute. Add the wine, broth, red pepper flakes, and plenty of cracked black pepper, and bring to a low simmer.
  • Put the shrimp shells into the pan and let them simmer on low for about 8-10 minutes. The shells will infuse tons of flavor into the sauce. When done, remove the shells with prongs or a slotted spoon. The sauce should have reduced by half as it simmered, but if you think you need more, add a few more splashes of wine.
  • Pat the shrimp dry and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and sauté until they turn pink and opaque, about 1-2 minutes per side depending on their size. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and spaghetti squash. Toss to coat, and serve.