Pesto & Artichoke Heart Spaghetti Squash Cups

Solely Organic Spaghetti Squash is ready in just 4-6 minutes!

Show off your chef skills to create this healthy meal in minutes!  

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 box Solely Spaghetti Squash, cooked & drained
• 1 batch (1 cup) of pesto, homemade or store bought (see recipe below if using homemade)
• 6 artichokes hearts, drained of excess water
• 1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 
• Optional additional black pepper

• 2 cups fresh basil 
• 1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts 
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• Juice from 1/2 medium lemon 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Fill a medium pot about two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the Solely Spaghetti Squash and boil until soft, 4-6 minutes.
2. Strain squash very well in a colander, pressing out its excess water, and set aside.
3. If using homemade pesto, add fresh basil, toasted chopped walnuts, and nutritional yeast to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped and well-combined.
4. Slowly add the olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt while the food processor is running. Scrape the sides of the food processor bowl down as needed. Pour all of the pesto into a small bowl to use later.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C). 
6. Add the cooked spaghetti squash, sea salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese to a mixing bowl and toss together until well-combined. 
7. Press ⅓ cup portions of the squash mixture into a greased 6-cup muffin tin so that it covers each muffin slot as if it is a pie crust, on each bottom and all sides of each slot. 
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.
9. Fill each muffin slot with a layer of pesto, an artichoke heart, and a spoonful of shredded mozzarella cheese.
10. Return to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble. 
11. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving with chopped parsley and optional additional black pepper. 
12. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
13. Enjoy!

Notes about the recipe: We used whole artichoke hearts in each of these spaghetti squash cups. If you opt to use quartered artichoke hearts, simply use 4 quarters to equal one whole artichoke heart. 

Credit: Recipe prepared by Sarah Steffans