Brown Butter Sage Spaghetti Squash
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Quick and easy comfort food? Those things don’t usually pair together in the same sentence, but with this brown butter sage spaghetti squash, you can have the best of both worlds! This dish is flavorful and filling; it makes for the perfect weeknight meal!
I love how this brown butter spaghetti squash looks like something you’d order at a cozy little restaurant, but it’s secretly one of the easiest dishes I make. A little brown butter, a handful of walnuts, and some parmesan, and suddenly this humble squash turns into something that feels special without even trying.
The textures are what get me every time. The spaghetti squash is tender with just a little bite, the walnuts are toasty and crunchy, and the parmesan melts in just enough to bring everything together. Every forkful tastes rich and nutty and a little bit earthy — it’s simple, but in the very best way.
This is the kind of quick, comforting meal I make when I want something warm and cozy but don’t want to fuss. It comes together fast, fills the kitchen with the scent of sage and brown butter, and always hits that perfect sweet spot between rustic and elegant. It’s comfort food with a little glow-up, and I love it.
What’s brown butter?
Brown butter is cooked butter. The cooking process gives the butter a nice golden-brown color and enhances the flavor. The result is a warm and nutty sauce that goes well with savory foods, like this brown butter sage spaghetti squash.
Tips for preparing and cooking spaghetti squash
Squash can be an intimidating vegetable to pick up at the grocery store. They are usually quite large and have hard exteriors, and are often associated with however your mom or grandmother cooked them when you were a kid.
Those memories can’t be erased, but you can change your perception of squash with this delicious brown butter sage spaghetti squash recipe, and these tips on how to prepare and cook them.
And if you’re already a squash lover, hopefully these tips will make your life a little easier next time you reach for a squash!
- Picking a squash: When it comes to picking a spaghetti squash, you want to go for one that’s hard and has no soft spots. You want it to feel nice and heavy in your hand.
- Prep: The prep work for this recipe is very easy. All you have to do is, using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. If it’s easier, bring the squash to a lower surface level so you can have more leverage when cutting it. Then scoop out the seeds.
- Cooking: You’ll want to cook the squash until it’s fork-tender. It’s important not to overcook your squash, as the strands that give it its spaghetti-like
What to serve with brown butter sage spaghetti squash
Despite being a vegetable, this spaghetti squash recipe will fill you up! That said, if you’d like to serve it as a side dish, here are some ideas of what to pair with it:
- Meat dishes: baked pork chops, baked chicken breast, or steak salad
- Vegetarian dishes: cashew cream of mushroom soup or kale waldorf salad
Recipe FAQs
What is a substitute for sage in the brown butter sauce?
You can substitute the sage leaves for rosemary or thyme; however, you will get a slightly different taste.
How should I store cooked spaghetti squash?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to one week.
Is this more of a side dish or a main meal?
We’ve made the portions quite large, so it’s more like a main meal. But it also makes a delicious side dish!
Brown Butter Sage Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 small spaghetti squash (or 3 medium)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 8 sage leaves (chopped)
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating, halve the squash lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn them cut side down then place the squash in the oven – it doesn't have to be fully heated. Roast until the squash are tender and a knife easily pierces the skin, 25-35 minutes.4 small spaghetti squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- After the squash has cooked for 15 minutes, melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Cook the butter, swirling the pan a few times, until the foam subsides and the butter turns brown, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, garlic, and sage and let them cook for 30 seconds. Set the butter aside.6 tablespoons butter, 1 cup walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, 8 sage leaves
- When the squash is tender, carefully use a fork to scrape loose the strands of squash.
- Choose the 4 nicest looking squash shells and pile all the spaghetti squash strands in those 4 shells. Sprinkle the tops with parmesan cheese and then pour the butter over top.½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Popular spaghetti squash recipes
For more dinner ideas, check out the rest of my dinner recipes!
The Spaghette Squash recipe looks delicious!! My favorite kind of cooking is ‘throw it all together fast & put it in the crock-pot’ kind of recipes! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you so much! That’s the kind of cooking I love too. 🙂
Thanks, Liz!
Stir fries are great, aren’t they?! I should get some more on the blog. 🙂
super yummy
love you jen
yum
I couldn’t agree more, Deborah! Really food is about making it from scratch, rather than faux food time savers. Heading over to Ozlem’s site right now to check it out. 🙂
Holy cow! This is incredible looking! That squash looks perfectly roasted and the idea of using a fork to create “spaghetti” is so clever!! I adore this recipe!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Nagi! I wish I could claim the recipe as my own, but it is 100% Mark Bittman’s. He has inspired me to create my own though so stay tuned for more. 🙂
I like recipes with quinoa
I love any fast recipe as long as it’s a good, quality tasting recipe with exceptional flavors and quality ingredients. And don’t feel bad, I was late 40’s before I tried spaghetti squash and totally fell head over heels in love with it. 🙂
Of course pasta is usually a fast, easy meal, but I think that there are many “fast” recipes out there. A nice salad with chick peas, almonds, grape tomatoes and pre-shredded red cabbage is wonderful. Also, putting things in a crockpot the night before, placing it in your fridge and then taking it out in the morning is an easy way to have dinner on the table in 5 minutes when you get home.
I love cooking some spinach and edamame, and throwing them in the blender to make soup. Very east and fast recipe!
What a great idea!