Spaghetti Squash with Pomodoro sauce and Balsamic Eggplant Chips

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Featuring bright basil and sweet tomatoes, this pomodoro sauce has the perfect blend of salt, fat, and acid to make it craveable. When it's spooned over the noodle-like spaghetti squash, it turns into a decadent meal for a cold autumn night. The crunchy eggplant chips—which have a richness thanks to the balsamic—add another layer of texture and flavor.  

This recipe yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • For the eggplant chips:
  • 1 Japanese eggplant sliced into thin rounds
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 lime, juice and zest
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • For the Pomodoro Sauce:
  • 1 small red onion, cut julienne
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 10 ounces of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ bundle of basil, finely chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • For the eggplant chips:
  • 1 Japanese eggplant sliced into thin rounds
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 lime, juice and zest
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • For the Pomodoro Sauce:
  • 1 small red onion, cut julienne
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 10 ounces of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ bundle of basil, finely chopped
  • salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add eggplant chips, making sure to coat them in the wet mixture. 

  2. Spread eggplant chips out on a baking tray and cook at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until they start to bubble and caramelize. 

  3. Remove the chips from the oven and let cool.

  4. Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring water to a boil and add a few dashes of salt. Poke the squash all over with a knife or fork so that it will cook evenly in the water. Add the spaghetti squash to the boiling water and let it cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water. Let it cool so it’s easy to handle, then peel and cut it in half. 

  5. Remove the seeds with a spoon and then using a fork, shred the spaghetti squash. Season with sea salt and olive oil and set aside.

  6. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan. Add red onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for about 1 minute. 

  7. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for about 1 minute until the tomatoes soften. Using a wooden spoon squeeze a few tomatoes so the juice comes out. 

  8. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the sauce and stir to combine. Add basil. 

  9. Add the shredded spaghetti squash to plates or bowls. Laden a generous amount of the sauce atop the squash. Top with the eggplant chips and a few torn pieces of fresh basil. 

TIPS

**For the eggplant, it’s ideal to use a mandolin, but not necessary.