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Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake

Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake brings tender roasted squash together with sautéed onion and bell pepper, cumin-scented black beans, and a melty Mexican cheese blend. Fresh cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, and olives add brightness and creamy richness for a satisfying contrast. Serve it for a cozy weeknight dinner or a hearty meatless option at gatherings.

  • Prep30 mins
  • Cook45 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

50 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
55 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
12 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
91 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

52
Heart Health
83
Metabolic
47
Digestive
28
Inflammatory
27
Performance
49
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

  2. 2

    Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each half and spread it with a pastry brush. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Place the halves cut-side down on the prepared baking pan.

  3. 3

    Bake in the preheated oven until tender and a steak knife slides easily into the flesh, about 30 minutes.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the hot oil until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  5. 5

    Take the cooked squash out of the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

  6. 6

    Use a fork or spoon to pull the strands from the squash and place them in a large bowl; discard the skins. Add the sautéed vegetables, black beans, 1/2 cup Mexican cheese, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper; mix well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Mexican cheese.

  7. 7

    Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with tomatoes, avocado, and olives.

About This Recipe

Southwest Style Spaghetti Squash Bake is a Tex Mex dinner recipe made with 16 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Avocado, Black Beans, Black Pepper, and Cooking Spray. Each serving provides about 381.86 kcal, and is a good source of fiber.

Recipe Questions

What is Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake?
It is a Tex-Mex recipe made with 16 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake made of?
The main ingredients are Avocado, Black Beans, Black Pepper, Cooking Spray, Fresh Cilantro. The full list of 16 is above.
What goes well with Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake?
Explore these Tex-Mex side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake?
About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 381.86 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 16 ingredients and 7 steps.
Is Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake healthy?
Southwest-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake has an easyChef Pro health score of 50/100. Per serving, it provides 381.86 calories and 6.56 g of protein, or 13% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 254.56 mg (11% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.28 g (16% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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