I know it’s a bold statement, but this might just be the best roasted spaghetti squash dinner recipe you ever make! It’s a complete, vegan sheet pan dinner with chickpeas, red peppers and pesto that checks all the boxes: filling, flavourful, only 5 ingredients and less than 15 minutes of hands-on time! 

spaghetti squash with peppers and chickpeas on brown plate
Your new weeknight dinner hero: a nutritionally complete and flavourful meal all on one sheet pan!

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Pumpkin gets all the press…but if you ask me, squash is the true superhero of cool weather cooking. You can roast it up on a chilly night and feel RENEWED. Or rip open a bag of frozen squash to add an extra layer of comfort to a meal, sans chopping.

But of all the different types of squash out there, I don’t know any that can anchor a dinner the way a roasted spaghetti squash can. 

I remember my mom making a lot of spaghetti squash when I was a kid…and I don’t remember why we stopped? Did it go out of style? Was it ever in style? Or, did I just decide I “didn’t like it” one day like when my kids tell me they hate mushrooms when they used to eat them by the bucketload. The joys of parenthood!

Anyhoo, it only took me like 30 years to get back to the idea that roasted spaghetti squash is a perfectly cozy and comforting meal. But what to serve it with? 

A tomato-based pasta sauce is always delicious but I wanted something a little different when I was writing my cookbook, Good For Your Gut, so I created a quick sauté of red peppers and chickpeas and then topped the whole shebang with pesto. SO GOOD…and the dietitian in me was giddy because it’s also a complete vegan dinner with plenty of colour, fibre and plant-based protein so you feel full and satisfied. 

But since the book came out, I was thinking to myself, “couldn’t you just put it all together and make it a sheet pan meal?”. Turns out, yes you can…and you now have one less dish to clean making this perhaps the ultimate easy, hands-off weeknight meal that tastes like more than the sum of its parts.

Look how easy this yummy roasted spaghetti squash dinner is!

I’ve got to tell you…there is magic afoot in this recipe. It is sweet, salty, a bit herbaceous and the squash even has a bit of a creamy texture mixed with the pesto. All this…and it’s just 5 core ingredients. You don’t need a lot in the cupboard to make a truly delicious and comforting plant-based meal!

squash, peppers, chickpeas and pesto in jar
I love using smaller squash for this so everyone can have their own half but if you have a larger squash, just cut it into 4 pieces.

It doesn’t get much easier than this: just roast the squash, chickpeas and pepper on the same sheet pan and then top with store-bought pesto. The hardest part of roasting spaghetti squash? Cutting it open of course. Here’s how to do it.

hand scooping spaghetti squash
I like to slice my spaghetti squash lengthwise for a more stable “bowl”
hand brushing spaghetti squash
I always use extra virgin olive oil, but feel free to use any cooking oil you have at home.

Hate mushy spaghetti squash? DON’T OVERCOOK IT! If you like your squash more al dente, err on the side of undercooking. Test it at 30 minutes. The outside should yield a bit to pressure and when you turn it over, the strands will form! For this dish, I don’t mind it a little squishier as I find it makes for a cozy texture so I usually cook 45-55 minutes.

spaghetti squash, chickpeas and peppers on pan
Place the squash to the outer edges of the pan so the chickpeas and peppers don’t cook as fast!
roasted spaghetti squash, peppers and chickpeas on pan
Got another squash on hand? You could totally do this with acorn squash or honey nut squash and it would be DELICIOUS.

Desiree’s Tips, Tricks and Substitutions

  • Leftovers keep super well: I typically scrape the remaining spaghetti squash and store it separately from the chickpeas and peppers. To reheat, add a splash of olive oil and a splash of water to a nonstick skillet and heat the squash, peppers and chickpeas over medium until steaming.
  • This is great served with chile flakes for a bit of extra heat and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast in lieu or parmesan….or if you have some of my almond parmesan in the fridge, that is awesome too!
  • If you want to make your own pesto, branch out from basil with my cilantro pesto or my broccoli pesto!
  • Got leftover pesto? Don’t let it go to waste! Spread it on sandwiches, thin it out with a bit of water or oil and use as a dressing for grain bowls or salads or freeze into cubes for longer-term storage.

More cozy vegan dinners with pumpkin and squash

spaghetti squash with peppers and chickpeas on brown plate

Roasted spaghetti squash + pesto dinner (vegan)

4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
This might just be the best roasted spaghetti squash dinner recipe you ever make! It’s a complete, vegan sheet pan dinner with chickpeas, red peppers and pesto that checks all the boxes: filling, flavourful, only 5 ingredients and less than 15 minutes of hands-on time
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Ingredients

  • 2 small spaghetti squash, or one large, about 3 lbs (1350g)
  • 2 14 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 medium red peppers, sliced into ½ inch (1 cm) slices
  • 1 cup vegan pesto, storebought or homemade!
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Imperial – Metric

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C) and prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. If you have one large squash, you can cut each half in half again so you have 4 pieces. Rub cut side of squash with 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, salt and pepper and place cut side down on parchment.
  • Add the peppers and chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Then bake until the squash is tender, about 40-60 minutes depending on the size of the squash. You’ll know it’s done when the outside of the squash yields slightly to gentle pressure.
    • If you have smaller squash, or like your squash more al dente, start checking for doneness after 30 minutes! I like mine a bit softer for this specific recipe, about 45-55 min.
  • Divide the chickpeas and peppers amongst the squash and serve with pesto.

Notes

Make this recipe low FODMAP:
The original recipe in Good For Your Gut was designed to be low FODMAP, so it’s super easy but/and/also, the low FODMAP guidelines have changed since the book came out (it happens SO fast!) so here is what to do:
  • rinse canned chickpeas very well and limit your serve to ¼-1/3 cup max 
  • keep your squash serving to ½ pound (about 1 ½ cups)
  • Keep your red pepper to ½ cup
  • Buy a garlic-free pesto or make your own by omitting the garlic!
Cuisine: American
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

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