Slow Cooker Creamy Basil Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Garlic Butter Shrimp
This! For all my squash loving friends! Loved it for dinner and then again for lunch the next day! To this day I don’t think I’ve met a squash I didn’t like and spaghetti squash happens to be one of my favorites. I’m so excited for fall and all the fall squashes! Hardest part of making this dish is getting that darn squash cut in half! No matter what I do it’s always a bit of a struggle. Just promise you will be careful! No one needs a kitchen mishap!
Now a few non-squash loving members of my family said “meh” to this dish. Fine. I get it. This is a recipe for the die-hards. The true squash lovers. I can live with that!
That just means more for me! And plus..the shrimp! Easy and so good. My favorite way to make them. Nothing earth shattering here. Just melt a little butter and saute these up with some garlic, salt and pepper.
Let the squash cook all day in the slow cooker then shred. Remove to a bowl and add some homemade or jarred sauce and some cheese and return it to the crock to finish cooking. Or stick it under the broiler for 5 minutes and you are done!
A tasty, not so heavy dinner for any squash lover. I will take spaghetti squash any day over pasta! And some of this garlic butter shrimp everyday. Yum.
Slow Cooker Creamy Basil Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- spaghetti squash 4-5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup pasta sauce - see notes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 10 ounces small peeled deveined and tail-off shrimp
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and remove all seeds
- Drizzle each cut side of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning
- Place cut side up in slow cooker - I stacked mine since they wouldn't fit side by side
- Add 2 cups of water to bottom of slow cooker
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 until squash is easy to shred
- Shred squash into spaghetti like strands with fork and place in bowl
- Mix in sauce and place back into skins
- Top with cheese and return to crock to heat through on high for 30 minutes or place under oven broiler for about 5 minutes until cheese is golden brown
- Heat butter over medium-high heat in skillet
- Add shrimp and garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve in "boats" or remove squash to bowl and top with shrimp
Notes
Nutrition
Probably my favorite spaghetti squash recipe! It was delicious!!!!
I’m not sure if you already know this trick, but microwave your Spaghetti Squash whole for 2 minutes. When you pull it out, it’s significantly easier to cut it in half.
yes, great tip!! Thanks!
Just made this recipe and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! I added mushrooms, spinach, kale, and green onions to the sautéed shrimp and threw it all in the crock pot for about 15 minutes along with the squash, pesto, and cheese, yum!! 🙂
Love hearing success stories!!
Should I use cooked or uncooked small shrimp?
Thanks
Ed
Uncooked if you can find them! They will cook up super fast. You can sub larger shrimp if you prefer 🙂
Thank you for the fas response.
HI Jennifer. This post inspired me to cut into the spaghetti squash we got from a friend last month. My kids didn’t like spaghetti squash the first time I tried to make it 2 years ago, and so I have shied away from it. But inspired by you, I added olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted garlic cloves. It was a different squash altogether and now I have some kids asking for more (there is one hold out:)). Thanks for sharing and inspiring! Beautiful pics!
Yay for kids loving spaghetti squash!! And thanks 😉
How delicious is this spaghetti! Loving how creamy and cheesey it is.. craving some now!