Warm Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
Serves: 4 servings
 
Ingredients
  • - 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • - 2 medium leeks, white parts only
  • - 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • - 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • - ¼ cup thinly sliced pitted Kalamata olives
  • - ½ teaspoon salt
  • - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • - 3 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
  • - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Cut off ends of squash. Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise. With a spoon scrape out seeds and loose pulp and discard. Fill a glass casserole dish with about ½-inch water. Place squash halves in water cut side down. Cover tightly with foil. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a knife can be inserted easily through the squash. Remove from oven and remove foil. Remove squash halves to a plate and allow to cool. Once cool, “shred” the spaghetti squash by running a fork across the flesh to loosen the strands. Place in a bowl while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  2. Thinly slice leeks and place in a large bowl or the basket of a salad spinner. Using your hands break of the disks into smaller pieces of leeks. Cover with water and gently swish leeks around to remove dirt. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Carefully lift out leeks (or the spinner basket). Dry with a towel or spin in the salad spinner to remove excess water.
  3. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Pour three tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in pan and allow it to heat. Add dried leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until leeks become very soft, about 20 minutes. If they start to brown before they get real soft, reduce temperature and keep cooking. You can also try adding a little bit of water to help the leeks soften.
  4. Once leeks have softened add spaghetti squash, crushed cloves of garlic, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until squash is heated and cherry tomatoes have warmed through but have not yet begun to burst and release their juices (about 5-10 minutes). Remove from heat. Sprinkle with salt, oregano, and white wine vinegar and stir in well. Stir in feta if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Holcomb Farm at https://holcombfarm.org/spaghetti-squash/