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Make some room on your holiday tables for this Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts. It’s the perfect, make-ahead side dish. Seasonal spaghetti squash is oven-roasted, then tossed with an extra creamy goat cheese-based cream sauce that’s swirled with pesto and hinted with garlic. Toss the roasted spaghetti squash with the cream sauce and finish this simple side with buttery walnuts and crisped sage. This is an easy and delicious seasonal squash recipe that can double as a hearty side dish or vegetarian main course.

overhead photo of Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts

Crazy as this is, I don’t believe I’ve ever shared my history with spaghetti squash. Over the years, I’ve only shared a handful of spaghetti squash recipes. But did you guys know that spaghetti squash was one of the first real dishes I learned to cook?

Way, way back in the day (think little thirteen-year-old Tieghan), my mom turned me onto roasted spaghetti squash. She would roast it in the oven, scrape the strands, and simply toss with butter and salt. She’d serve it to me straight out of the spaghetti squash shell and I remember it tasting SO GOOD. Buttery, salty, and the noodles had just the slightest bit of sweetness to them. To this day, it’s still a favorite. I make roasted spaghetti squash every single year for Thanksgiving. I’ve done so since my family’s very first Thanksgiving in Colorado. It’s always one of the first side dishes to disappear.

Also? Thinking about it now, I have no idea how my mom discovered spaghetti squash. She’s not the most adventurous eater and crazy looking vegetables like spaghetti squash wouldn’t be something she’d typically reach for.

Who knows, she does love buttered noodles…so. Thankfully she turned me onto spaghetti squash, and it’s been one of my favorite fall vegetables to roast ever since.

Browned Butter Walnuts

Roasting spaghetti squash is easy….

If you’ve let spaghetti squash intimate you, don’t. Simply microwave the squash to soften the shell, then slice in half, scrape the seeds out, and roast. It does take a while to fully roast, about 30 minutes. But the time in the oven is worth it.

Roasting the squash brings out its sweetness and turns its strands into buttery deliciousness. Sounds too good to be true, but promise, it’s not.

side angled photo of Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts

Now for that cream sauce…

While the squash is roasting away in the oven, make the sauce.

This cream sauce it extra special. It’s made with browned butter and a little milk (you can use any variety you’d like). But the real the secret?

Goat cheese. Using goat cheese keeps the sauce creamy. It gives it an almost Brie like flavor, and it’s all-around delicious.

In addition to the cheese, I also use a little pesto to flavor sauce, and a good amount of garlic too. Once the spaghetti squash is roasted, just scrape it into “spaghetti” and toss the strands with the sauce.

overhead photo of Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts

That final touch…

The last thing you must do is toast the walnuts in butter with a little bit of fresh sage. This step takes five minutes to do this, but it makes ALL the difference and creates a recipe that’s truly mouth-watering.

The butter turns nutty, the walnuts golden, and the sage gets perfectly crisp.

Simply spoon the nuts over the creamed squash, kind of like a bread crumb finish, SO GOOD.

Without a doubt, this is one of my current favorite recipes. I made it on a whim the other week and it’s already been remade multiple times.

It’s simple, but warming, and so delicious.

And yes, this is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu. It makes for a great, updated, but still traditional side dish or a vegetarian main course.

side angled photo of Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts with hands pulling up the spaghetti squash

If you make this creamed spaghetti squash with browned butter walnuts, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 337 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
    2. Place the squash on a plate and microwave 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and discard. Place the squash in a baking dish and season the cut sides with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes or until the squash is tender.
    3. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons butter, the walnuts, sage, and a pinch of salt in a large skillet. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and the walnuts are toasted. Remove the nuts from the skillet to a plate.
    4. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, milk, goat cheese, manchego, and pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy. Remove from the heat.
    4. When the squash is ready, use a fork to scrape the squash into strands, then toss the squash with the pesto cream sauce. Serve the squash warm, topped with buttery walnuts.

Notes

To Make Ahead: prepare the squash through step 4, but leave the walnuts off the squash. Cool and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, gently warm the squash over low heat on the stove, stirring until warmed. Top with walnuts. 
To Keep Warm in the Slow Cooker: prepare the squash through step 4, but leave the walnuts off the squash. Transfer the squash to the slow cooker and keep on the WARM setting for up to 4 hours. Keep the walnuts to the side of the squash until ready to use for topping. 
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Comments

  1. Tried this for the first time today. I can’t even begin to say how delish it is. I did combine regular pasta with the spaghetti squash, for my hubby, and it can’t stop talking about it! He says he is addicted!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!

    Reply

    1. Hey Natasha,
      You can us zucchini noodles or using regular pasta! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Amazing! I have never been a fan of spaghetti squash but had an abundance in the garden. Tried this recipe and it knocked my socks off! Absolutely delicious! Don’t change a thing!

    Reply

  5. 4 stars
    Very good! I couldn’t quite follow the exact recipe due to my shelter in place ingredients, but I subbed feta for the goat cheese and cotija for the manchengo. I’d probably add a little cream cheese next time instead of the cotija and half the butter next time. Thanks so much!!!

    Reply

  6. I tried it using some spaghetti squash I had frozen after cooking. It didn’t turn out well at all so I don’t recommend using frozen cooked squash. It was very soupy and watery.

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Super yummy. Each bite grew on me so when I finished my first bowl, I wanted a bit more. The hint of sage with the walnuts really added a lot. I cut the recipe in half. Worked great. Thanks again for all your creativity.

    Reply

    1. Hi Tamara! Pecan will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hi Kristina, I would not use almond butter, but almond milk will work great. Tray replacing the butter with olive oil. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

  11. Hi,
    This *looks* amazing, and like the kind of comfort food I’d love! I’m a fan of spaghetti squash, basil pesto, and buttery/creamy/cheesy/nutty things.
    But, I wondered if I could ask some cheese advice here. I’ve honestly only had goats cheese once, on a fruit/cheese tray at a nice hotel…it was super strong & sour/tangy. I didn’t like it. But I have a super sensitive palette for things that are too strong like that (I don’t enjoy a lot of salad dressings, vinegary things like sauerkraut or pickles, mustardy things, even super sharp cheddar, etc). Anyway, I don’t know if that’s what all goat cheese is supposed to taste like, since I’ve only had it once, and I have never had sheep/manchego cheese before (though the descriptions sound yum!), so I was just wondering if you think I ought to try this with something else beside goat cheese, or if I should just go for it? Is it a very tangy/sour dish?
    If it helps, my favorite cheeses are like brie, camembert, muenster, gouda, and I love noodles with parmesan and/or mozzarella – usually mild, creamy, sweet kinds. I’m otherwise rather excited about this recipe, and happy to branch out, but if it is supposed to taste like my one goat cheese experience, I wouldn’t want to waste the ingredients. Thank you for your experienced help and consideration! : )

    Reply

    1. HI!! I would recommend using Brie or cream cheese in place of the goat cheese. That will be delicious and I think you will really enjoy!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. 4 stars
    I made this is a side for Christmas dinner and while it was a little fancy for some I thought it was delicious! It was a little heavy on the goat cheese flavour though and I love goat cheese and only used half the amount.

    Reply

  13. Looks delicious! If I wanted to add an easy meat to go with it, what do you think would be best? I was thinking sausage but wasn’t sure if greasy sausage would be too much with this rich pasta! Thanks <3

    Reply

    1. I would totally do a spicy Italian sausage and then just drain off any excess grease before tossing with the squash. That will be so good! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Easily one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever made. So simple and cozy! I often make spaghetti squash with a tomato based sauce, usually with some sort of meatball or bolognase. I’ve never tried a creamier sauce, but this one intrigued me since it wasn’t just your usual cream base. The goats cheese and Manchego give the dish a rich flavour without the heaviness of using cream. The brown butter walnut topping just put it over the top. Will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you!!

    Reply