Spaghetti-Squash Pizza Crust

Using vegetables as pizza crust might have changed my life forever.

Here was the situation: it was two days before Fall break, no food in the fridge, no point in buying more food for the fridge, I had just cooked a spaghetti squash the day before, and had more squash than I knew what to do with.

A quick Google search of “new things to do with spaghetti squash” yielded me results which led to this tasty pizza.

I didn’t follow the recipe to a T because, again, I had almost nothing else in my fridge. But the crust still turned out really yummy and crispy on the edges. This crust is not as sturdy as other vegetable crusts, and certainly not traditional pizza crusts, but it was a really fun experiment and delicious dinner.

I simply topped with olive oil, raw cheddar, and jalapeños, because that’s what I had. It turned out really well, but you can get really creative with the toppings. Think of what might go well with squash … fall herbs like rosemary and thyme, mushrooms, caramelized onions, chorizo, pesto …. the options are endless!

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust

Recipe adapted from Shared Appetite 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of cooked spaghetti squash
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used raw cheddar)
• 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese (I didn’t use this)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Roast spaghetti squash and scoop out the flesh.
3. Wrap measured-out squash in a cheesecloth, clean kitchen towel, or layers of paper towels and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. I just squeezed it plain over a strainer. The drier the squash, the crispier the crust.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the squash, garlic, olive oil, egg, cheeses, and season with oregano, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Press squash in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and form into an approximate 10-inch circle.
5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully flip, and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Add desired toppings and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until done.