Simple Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp

This rich and creamy roasted red pepper sauce is loaded with amazing flavors and then topped with shrimp and smothered in with a low-carb, healthier alternative to pasta using spaghetti squash. It’s garlicky and buttery with half the calories and ready to go in 30 minutes!

Hi there; I’m Sarah and I’m in love with spaghetti squash. Seriously. When made right, this stuff is simply outstanding. I’m not going to convince you that it is noodles and even if we did a compare and contrast chart, there are many differences between spaghetti squash and noodles.

These differences, however, aren’t a bad thing. In fact, I find myself often favoring spaghetti squash over pasta because I love the crisp texture, while not feeling overindulged afterward.

Now let’s add a rich and creamy roasted red pepper sauce to the mix, and this is pretty much a dream come true. We are adding shrimp as our protein of choice for this recipe, but you could easily swap out the shrimp for any other protein or simply go sans-free in the protein department.

This recipe is jam-packed with essential nutrients and flavors; you really don’t need to add too much as this meal kind of does the work in itself!

Let’s quickly go back to that spaghetti squash for a minute. This recipe will help you to achieve the best spaghetti squash your tastebuds have ever experienced. I realize that is a big statement there, but I feel very confident in the art of making spaghetti squash.

We eat this stuff pretty much once a week and this recipe always produces the best! For this particular recipe, we will be mixing it in with the sauce and shrimp but you can also choose to make spaghetti squash boats where you simply put your sauce of choice on top of the roasted halves after baking.

This is why we love spaghetti squash

It is…

• Hearty & Satisfying
• Nutritious
• Great for sauces and soaking up flavors
• An easy-care veggie; lasts long
• Incredibly easy to cook
• Big on portions while minimizing calories
• Marvelously textured
• Seriously delicious

While I highly recommend pairing shrimp with the roasted red pepper sauce that we will be adding over the spaghetti squash, you could opt for another protein such as chicken, beef, salmon, or tofu. OR, you could just choose to make the spaghetti squash with the roasted red pepper sauce.

Either way, I am going to make this easy on all of us. I am recommending using a jar of store-bought roasted red peppers and cooked shrimp. This is going to save us time and deliver tremendously in the quality of flavor…and hey, if it saves me time? I’m in. 1000%!

So let’s get started!

Ingredients for Shrimp and Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti Squash

To make this easy shrimp and roasted red pepper spaghetti squash, you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online.

Here’s what we are working with:

spaghetti squash

• spaghetti squash
• extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

shrimp

• shrimp, cooked (to save you time)
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• spinach

for the roasted red pepper sauce

• olive oil
• garlic cloves
• red onion
• roasted red peppers
• butter
• broth
• cream
• parmesan cheese

How to make shrimp and roasted red pepper spaghetti squash

For the spaghetti squash

1. Prepare and roast spaghetti squash; Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and ribbing. Drizzle over the inside of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking sheet and use a fork to poke holes all over the skin. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside, fork-tender, but still a little firm. **The time will vary depending on the size of your squash.
4. Remove from the oven and flip the squash so that it’s cut side up. When cool to the touch, use a fork to scrape and fluff the strands from the sides of the squash; remove from shell and set aside.

For the shrimp and roasted red pepper sauce

1. Season shrimp with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic and onion to the pan and sauté until soft. Add in the roasted red peppers and mix well to combine.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Melt the butter in the same pan and pour the red pepper sauce back into the pan; adding in the broth, cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and add in the parmesan cheese.
5. Add the cooked shrimp, squash and spinach into the skillet. Cook stirring occasionally, until the shrimp and squash are heated through and the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve immediately and garnish with extra parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, if desired.

ENJOY!!! We sure hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our little tribe has!

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