With this being my second Thai recipe in a row on the blog, it’s probably obvious by now…
The Gaskills like Thai food. Big time. Of the two of us, I am the more adventurous one when it comes to trying different Thai dishes. I’ll go for the Tom Kha Gai, like I featured on the blog last week, or a Pumpkin Curry. On the other hand Mr. Making Life Sweet is more of a Thai purist … or maybe traditionalist is a better word, haha. How so? He legit only orders ONE thing when we get Thai: Pad Thai.
The man has had Pad Thai in probably 15 of the 50 United States — so he knows a good Pad Thai recipe when he comes across one. I didn’t know how he would react to me making this Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai dish at home (and I was kind of nervous to make it) but I was giddy when he gobbled up the whole plate. I knew that meant I’d nailed it for sure.
I love rice noodles, but I’ve been on a spaghetti squash kick recently. 1) Because it’s in season. And 2) Because you can eat an entire half a squash and not feel like you need to lie down on the couch. It’s a delicious way to enjoy a large meal without a crap-I-ate-way-too-many-carbs hangover 30 minutes later.
If you’re a Thai traditionalist like Mr. Making Life Sweet, I encourage you to step out of your usual comfort zone and give this a try. A few other notes: If you’re vegan or vegetarian feel free to substitute tofu. After making this with chicken, I subbed it with pan-fried tofu the next day and almost liked it better that way! And if you’re not vegan, feel free to use shrimp or whatever other meat suits you.
There’s no hard-and-fast rules to making this dish … except maybe the Thai peanut sauce, that is. You’ll definitely want to make that as is (and will probably eat a lot of it before it ends up in the pan!). 😉 Cheers and have a happy Monday!
- 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
- 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
- 6 Thai basil leaves
- Sriracha for garnish (optional)
- [br][b]For the Thai peanut sauce (makes 1 cup):[/b][br]
- 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Thai chili paste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic, grated (optional)
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Let sit until squash is cool enough to handle, then use a fork to scrape out the squash from the skin.
- [b]For the Thai peanut sauce:[/b] Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until combined. If sauce is too thick, add more water.
- While squash is cooling, heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add spaghetti squash “noodles” and stir for another minute. Add 4 tablespoons of the Thai peanut sauce and stir until squash is coated evenly. Add cooked chicken and stir, cooking for another 2 minutes. Move squash and meat mixture to one side of the pan and crack the eggs on the other side. Use a wooden spoon to scramble the eggs for about 30 seconds. Add green onions and bean sprouts and continue cooking until everything is stirred together.
- Remove wok from heat and divide between plates. Garnish with cilantro, roasted peanuts, Thai Basil leaves and Sriracha.