Article and Recipe by Andrea Falcone, RD & Certified Fitess Professional
Styling by Michelle Rabin | Photo by Paul Buceta
This time of year it tends to be squash of the butternut and acorn varieties that earn our favor. But don’t overlook their milder counterpart, spaghetti squash, which is just as versatile and nutrient-dense, but lower in calories and carbs.
With approximately 40 calories per cup and around 10 g of carbohydrates, you can enjoy a healthy helping in replace of pasta or potatoes without the resulting carb coma. That same one-cup portion is loaded with potassium, as well as a decent amount of beta- and alpha-carotene.
Try spaghetti squash in casseroles, topped with your favorite pasta sauce, or in this fun fritter recipe as a light lunch, snack, or topped with an egg at breakfast!
Spaghetti Squash Fritters with Yogurt-Dill Dipping Sauce
Prep Time: 25 Minutes • Total Time: 55 Minutes • Makes 9 Servings
• 1 2-lb spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 crown of broccoli, washed and cut into florets
• ⅔ cup old white cheddar cheese, grated
• ⅔ cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Yogurt-Dill Dipping Sauce
• 1 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• Juice from half a lemon
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. To make the squash, place cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish, filling the dish with about 1½ inches of water.
3. Microwave on high for about 11-13 minutes, until you can easily pierce a fork through the skin of the squash.
4. Meanwhile, add the carrots, onion, and broccoli to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Do not purée.
5. Allow the squash to cool slightly. Once cooled, scrape out the flesh and add it to the food processor. Pulse to combine.
6. Add the eggs, cheese, and Panko breadcrumbs, until all ingredients combine. Note: if the mixture looks too wet, add more breadcrumbs until you can form the mixture into fritters.
7. With clean hands, form fritters and place on a parchment-paper–lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the fritters halfway through.
8. While they are baking, combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until the fritters are ready.
9. Broil the fritters for an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Serve with Yogurt-Dill Dipping Sauce.
Nutrients per serving (2 fritters):
Calories: 211, Fat: 7 g, Carbs: 27 g, Protein: 10 g, Fiber: 3.5 g
