Spaghetti Squash with Swiss Chard, Dried Cranberries & Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe (2024)

Every year spaghetti squash challenges me to do something other than ladling tomato sauce over top. This time, it's Swiss chard, dried cranberries and Dijon vinaigrette that turn this versatile squash into a memorable side dish.

Aside from cooking up our favorite fall dishes, we are soaking in the rainbow of crimson, yellow and pumpkin orange colors on the mountainside.

We piled into the car and drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon, towards Snowbird and Alta ski resorts. The brilliant colors of the leaves were starting to fade slightly, but we relished crunching along the paths covered with dry twigs and fallen leaves.

Each time we go into the mountains, I wonder why we don't go more often. Inevitably, our youngest son (T) finds a large stick to alternately drag behind him and brandish like a light-saber. But their favorite thing to do is climb along the nearly dry riverbeds, hopping from rock to rock and leaping over tree roots along the way. It's a kids' dream and they could happily stay up there all day, playing "international spy" and "Greek gods of the mountains" (thank you for that, Percy Jackson).

Coming back home in the cool, crisp weather seemed like a good excuse for a bowl of Smoky Turkey Chili and a side of this easy spaghetti squash recipe.

The recipe:
Using a large, sharp knife, pierce a spaghetti squash in several places. Place the spaghetti squash in a glass baking dish and cook in the microwave on high for about 15 minutes, turning the squash halfway through cooking.

Before handling, let the squash stand for 10 minutes. Cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibers. Using a fork, twist out strands of the spaghetti squash flesh and place in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature.

The dressing:
Place the Dijon mustard into a small bowl. While whisking constantly, slow pour in olive oil. Whisk until smooth and well-combined. Whisk in white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

The rest:
For the Swiss chard, cut the leaves away from the stems and discard the stems. Roughly chop the leaves.

Heat the olive in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the Swiss chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is cooked down and dark green, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chard and dried cranberries to the spaghetti squash. Pour in half of the dressing, toss to combine. Add more dressing, to taste. Serve.

Other spaghetti squash recipes:

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Printable Recipe

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