Spaghetti squash tomato bake with vegan cheese sauce
Have you ever tried spaghetti squash? It looks just like a regular squash but it has spaghetti from the inside. How cool! This squash will become easily one of your favorite fall vegetables. Try this spaghetti squash tomato bake with vegan cheese sauce today!
These baked spaghetti squash boats are perfect for those lazy days or cozy evenings because it's very simple to make.
This spaghetti squash pasta is also perfect for pasta lovers out there. The squash is tender, the tomato sauce is creamy with a hint of basil and the vegan cheese on top is smooth and rich. What a delicious combination. Serve it with freshly chopped basil and garlic oil. So delicious.
This dish is gluten-free and vegan.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS CREAMY SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPE
- Vegan – This spaghetti squash tomato bake is perfect for your vegan friends or family members! But this dish is suitable for everyone, not only for vegans/vegetarians.
- Gluten-free – This meal is naturally gluten-free.
- Dairy-free - This recipe is also dairy-free.
- Easy to make – The full recipe is so easy and simple.
- Spaghetti squash - This is a star of this recipe. Do you like spaghetti? I'm sure you will like this delicious vegetable too.
- Tomato basil sauce - Homemade tomato sauce taste just better. Especially if you add herbs and spices.
- Vegan cheese - Tomato sauce and cheese were made for each other. This combination never dies.
- Garlic oil - A final touch with garlic oil is a must. It enhances the flavors and creates such a delicious combination.
INGREDIENTS
- Spaghetti squash - This is the main ingredient in this recipe.
- Oil - You can use whatever oil you want to but I suggest an unflavored one. But extra virgin olive would be perfect.
- Minced garlic - You can use garlic powder, but it will be less intense.
- Tomato puree - You can use tomato paste or freshly chopped tomatoes. Or if you don't have time to prepare the sauce you can use marinara sauce and skip the whole process.
- Salt, black pepper, and sugar - The most important seasonings in this recipe.
- Basil - Tomato and basil is just the best combination.
- Cornstarch + water - This mixture is here to thicken up the sauce.
VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE
- Soy yogurt - This ingredient is perfectly tangy and sour which is perfect for a homemade vegan cheese sauce.
- Soy cream - To make this cheese rich, soy cream will provide all the flavors we need.
- Salt - A pinch of salt will be just enough.
- Cornstarch - By using cornstarch in this recipe the cheese will be stretchy and not watery. It will also help to thicken up the cheese.
GARLIC OIL
- Oil - This is a base ingredient for this step.
- Vegan butter - To make this garlic oil better and creamier just add butter and it will be so creamy and delicious.
- Minced garlic - Don't use garlic powder in this step!
POSSIBLE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
This recipe is easily customizable. Here are some ideas:
- You can replace tomato puree with freshly chopped tomatoes.
- Homemade vegan cheese can be replaced with your favorite store-bought vegan cheese.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Prepare the spaghetti squash, wash them, and cut them lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and put them onto parchment paper facing down. Bake for about 35-40 minutes.
Step 2: In this step, we can make a tomato sauce. You can also use a store-bought tomato sauce but homemade tastes better in my opinion.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add minced garlic. Next add tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and basil, and bring the sauce to a boil. The last step is to mix cornstarch with the water to thicken up the sauce. Pour the cornstarch mixture in and combine. Remove from the heat and we can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Let's make vegan cheese. In a bowl combine soy yogurt, soy cream, salt, and cornstarch.
Step 4: When the squash has been cooked, scrape the inside with a fork creating noodles. Pour the tomato sauce on top and drizzle with vegan cheese. Put them back into the oven for couple more minutes.
Step 5: The very last step is to make garlic oil. In a small saucepan heat the oil, and butter and add minced garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant and golden brown.
When the spaghetti squash bake is done and out of the oven drizzle it with garlic oil with extra crispy garlic on top. This vegan spaghetti squash bake is the perfect comfort food for all the pasta lovers out there that want to try something new.
SERVING
Serve this spaghetti squash tomato bake with garlic oil and freshly chopped basil. You can also serve it with baked potatoes and extra vegan cheese on top. Enjoy!
STORING
Store this spaghetti squash bake in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. But I recommend eating it freshly baked right away.
Tips for how to make perfect spaghetti squash tomato bake
- Pre-bake the spaghetti squash. This step is so important. You should be able to scrape the inside with a fork to create spaghetti.
- Add basil to the sauce. Herbs make such a difference. Tomatoes go so well with basil. Don't skip this step
- Bake the spaghetti squash with sauce and cheese. You need to bake the squash again so the flavors will combine.
- Don't forget to serve the squash with garlic oil for the best result.
FAQ
How do you make tomato sauce less tangy?
You can add a little bit of sugar or add soy cream to make it less tangy.
Do I need to twice bake this spaghetti squash tomato bake?
Yes! Firstly, you need to make the squash until soft, and the next time with the sauce and the cheese. This way the flavors will be enhanced and combined.
More tomato recipes:
VEGAN WHIPPED TOFU WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
CREAMY ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
CREAMY VEGAN TOMATO TOFU PASTA
Spaghetti squash tomato bake with vegan cheese sauce
Ingredients
- 2 medium spaghetti squash
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup tomato puree or unflavored tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- A handful of basil
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 4 tbsp of water
Vegan cheese sauce
- 1/3 cup soy yogurt or coconut yogurt
- 3 tbsp soy cream
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Garlic oil
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
- Firstly, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Place them flesh-side down on a baking sheet and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 400F (200°C) or until you can scrape the noodles with a fork.
- Meanwhile, prepare a sauce. In a medium-sized saucepan heat oil with garlic and cook until golden. Next, add tomato puree, salt, pepper, sugar, and basil. Bring it to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture. Stir it in and remove it from the heat.
- Next, moving on the vegan cheese. In a bowl combine soy yogurt, soy cream, salt, and cornstarch.
- When the spaghetti squash is baked, use a fork to scrape the sides using a fork. Pour in the tomato sauce and drizzle with vegan cheese. Put it back in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 400F (200°C).
- The very last step is to make garlic oil. In a pan melt the vegan butter and oil and add garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and golden brown.
- Put the spaghetti squash tomato bake out of the oven and drizzle with garlic oil. Enjoy!
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