Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Sautéed Shrimp is a flavorful, nutrient dense healthy low-carb paleo friendly dinner recipe that happens to also be Whole30 compliant! Plus, it’s ideal for anyone who enjoys big filling meals that come with health benefits!
Truth: I can eat meals like this every day of my life and never tire of it.
Flavor? Check.
Plenty of protein? Check.
Filling complex carbohydrates to make me feel full and satisfied? Check, check, check!
This Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Sautéed Shrimp is so easy to prepare, is loaded with nutrients and leaves you feeling energized!
Clean eating at its finest!
It is ideal for those who love lots of flavor, enjoy lower carbohydrate meals, or just anyone who is into spaghetti squash, shrimp, or pesto sauce!
Fact Check: spaghetti squash tastes like spaghetti.
No it does not.
However, I find spaghetti squash to be incredibly filling and satisfying! Plus, I think it has lovely texture and I enjoy the naturally sweet flavor. It’s a beautiful canvas for any and all flavors!
Ingredients for Pesto Spaghetti Squash and Sautéed Shrimp:
The ingredients needed for this recipe are super simple! One big spaghetti squash, shrimp, garlic, oil for cooking, and pesto sauce fixings (basil, parsley, pine nuts, parmesan cheese). BOOM! That’s it!
You can change up your pesto options by making my classic Basil Pesto Sauce or go wild with my Roasted Beet Pesto.
Looking to save some time? Use store-bought pesto sauce instead of homemade pesto!
Get a load of this:
How to Make Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Sautéed Shrimp:
Begin by roasting the spaghetti squash. If you’ve never done this, follow my instructions on How to Roast Spaghetti Squash.
While the spaghetti squash is roasting, make the pesto sauce (or use store-bought) in your food processor.
Look at that steam shot! I want to live in this bowl.
Sauté the shrimp in a large skillet (I like using a cast iron skillet for sautéing shrimp).
Once the shrimp is finished cooking and the spaghetti squash has been spaghettied, add the pesto sauce and the roasted spaghetti squash to the sauté pan with the shrimp, and heat everything together.
Serve it all up with fresh squeezed lemon juice and pine nuts. You can absolutely grate up some parmesan cheese on top too!
For my meal preppers out there, you can make the pesto sauce up to 5 days ahead of time, and you can also cook the spaghetti squash up to 5 days in advance. Sometimes making recipes in parts like this helps to reduce the workload.
Although I really must say, this magical meal is so easy to make any night of the week!
Enjoy this Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Sautéed Shrimp during winter squash season (fall and winter) or year round whenever you can locate a spaghetti squash!
Over and out.
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag me at @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
More Healthy Spaghetti Squash Recipes:
- Spaghetti Squash Egg Nests
- Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash Bolognese
- Creamy Tahini Spaghetti Squash with Kale
- Mushroom Bolognese Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Basil Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli
Enjoy this healthy dinner on repeat!
Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Sautéed Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 4-pound spaghetti squash
- 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil see note*
- Salt and pepper
Basil-Parsley Pesto Sauce:
For the Shrimp:
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil see note*
- 3 cloves garlic minced
For Serving:
- Pine nuts
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Roast the Spaghetti Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Chop the tip and the tail off of the spaghetti squash, and stand the squash up-right on a cutting board. Carefully cut the squash in half length-wise - gravity will help you chop from top to bottom.
- Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out of each of the halves.
- Rub about a tablespoon of olive oil over the flesh of each half. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Place both halves cut-side down on a baking sheet.
- Roast the squash for 45 to 50 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Remove from oven and allow squash to cool about 10 minutes.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently scrape the flesh, releasing spaghetti-like stands. Do this until both halves of the spaghetti squash are scraped clean and place the “spaghetti” into a large serving bowl and set aside.
Prepare the Basil-Parsley Pesto Sauce:
- Add all ingredients for the pesto sauce to a small blender (or food processor) and blend until it reaches desired consistency. I blended mine until smooth.
Sauté the Shrimp:
- In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium.
- Carefully place the shrimp on the hot skillet, and add the garlic.
- Allow shrimp to cook until it begins to plump and turn pink, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Flip shrimp to the other side and allow it to cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, and add the pesto sauce and prepared spaghetti squash. Fold everything together and cook until everything is hot.
- Serve heaping portions with pine nuts, fresh lemon wedges, and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Whee!!! TWO WEEKS!!!! I’m so excited! Plus, I’m feeling better every day, so there’s that. The beagles are resting as I type this in anticipation of your visit. Now for a food comment: Yum. I need to go to Stephie’s pre-calc teacher’s stand and get some spaghetti squash. I have some pesto in the freezer, so easy-peasy meal. It’s happening.
Truth: I never stopped roasting winter squash. I just love it too much! Spaghetti squash (an all squash!) is just so delicious. Love these flavors!
LOVE that it’s spaghetti squash season. So delish!
I’m with you on the winter squash – I want to eat it all day everyday!
I was just wondering what I was going to do with the bumper crop of Spaghetti Squash that is ready to be harvested. This will be one of the first things I try. Thanks.
This looks great! We love shrimp over here, I’ve never paired it with squash! Delicious!
I haven’t cooked spaghetti squash in years, but the one thing I remember about it is that you have to be careful not to overcook it. If you do it becomes mushy and bitter. I think the instructions I got were to bake it whole at 350ºF for 1-½ hours, turning halfway through (instructions were from Sunset Magazine). This recipe sounds absolutely delicious.
Absolutely on my list soon, this looks incredible!!
Ah, I’m so behind on the squash recipes! I’ve made pumpkin muffins and that is it. And they looked too lumpy to photograph so I have to remake them. I’m failing at life.
I do love the idea to add pesto to spag squash though. It’s a nice change from the typical marinara recipes and it looks delicious!!
i had spaghetti squash two years ago and didnt go too crazy about it. i think i should give it a try again this year. i love every other squash possible though 🙂
Girl. That steam shot. It is so pretttttttty. I spend so much time trying to get steam shots and they are my nemesis! Also, I’m with you on the squash. Spaghetti squash is my faaaav.
I think this is THE most amazing squash. It taught me to love other heavier squashes. It opens up one’s mind box on what can be done with it. This is one of those great recipes that does just that.
Ju, this looks so flavourful and awesome! I’m always looking for a new way to cook with squash and this is an absolutely must try. thanks for sharing!
I am so on board with this! Adding spaghetti squash to my shopping list right now. 🙂 PS. My husband got a Kombucha beer?!! the other day and I thought of you!
I pinned it. And big lol (in my office, nonetheless) to your ‘steam shot’ .
I FINALLY caved and used butternut squash this weekend. It felt kind of amazing. Spaghetti squash better watch out, because it’s NEXT.
Spaghetti squash makes me forget about pasta and we’ve eaten it so many ways but I never thought of pesto so am eager to try it your way. Thank you for the idea!
Made this last night for Whole 30 Day 9 dinner. It was SO good. I left off the cheese of course, but it was spectacular. I’m definitely going to be repeating this. Loved the pesto, too with the flat leaf parsley addition.
Kelli, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!!! It’s so simple, yet so filling and enjoyable. Definitely a great recipe for clean eating, fo sho! Thanks for the feedback, love! xoxo
Made your yummy recipe tonight, because I had a large bunch of Parsley ( instead of the cilantro my husband thought he was buying for salsa ).
Delicious pesto…even without Basil.
The squash was huge so we only used part of each half.
Had the remainder for dessert…with fresh maple syrup. Mmmm.
Thanks for “saving me”.
You got it, Jody! I’m so happy you enjoyed the meal. I never thought of using spaghetti squash for dessert – I MUST try this!! xo
The reason you didn’t get good strands is you cut it the wrong way, cut it the short way where you get two cones, instead of two boats. It’s easier to cut that way too, but then you get the longer more spag like strands, then the short stubby ones.
Do you use raw pine nuts or toasted?
Looks amazing. I have an allergy to raw garlic, what do you suggest as a replacement? Thanks 🙂
Made this tonight and even the kids liked it! I thought it was delicious! I was not sure how the pesto was going to turn out with the addition of parsley, but it was fantastic. I will put this in my dinner rotation!