Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Peas

Ever had gluten-free pasta? I tried some once. Um, it got a less than stellar review. I may have just tried the wrong brand, but I'm not exactly itching to give it another try.

I've seen the trick of using spaghetti squash in the place of pasta and I thought that might be a better bet than the gluten-free version.

Notes: Spaghetti squash does not taste like pasta. It's reminiscent of pasta and it looks like pasta, but if you're expecting it to mimic spaghetti exactly, you'll be disappointed.

Spaghetti squash is also a bit bland, so it needs flavor help. I thought the bacon grease would do the trick, but that wasn't enough. Neither was the pesto. It needs salt. So, be sure to salt the squash before you add in the pesto and peas.

I love that you can roast the squash ahead of time (thanks to Martha Stewart for the tip). You could roast it on the weekend and make this a Q.E.D. weeknight meal.

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash
5-6 slices of bacon
1/2 bag frozen peas
2 tablespoons (homemade) pesto
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 375. Using a small knife, prick the squash all over. Put it on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Allow the squash to cool and cut it open. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Using a fork, scrape out the strands of squash into a large bowl. This step can be done up to 2 days ahead. You can keep the squash in an airtight container in the fridge.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Set the slices on a plate lined with a paper towel. Add the squash to the bacon grease and toss to coat and warm through. Season with salt and pepper (don't be shy). Add the peas and toss enough to heat the peas. Turn off the heat, add the pesto, and stir to combine.

Dish it up, crumble the bacon on top, and enjoy!

Pictured here with optional parmesan cheese!