Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Burrata
Roasted spaghetti squash strands tossed with bright homemade basil pesto and crowned with creamy burrata. A measured portion keeps this higher-carb squash keto-friendly.
Nutrition per serving
1 cup squash strands (140 g raw) with ½ burrata- Net carbs
- 9.9g
- Calories
- 456kcal
- Protein
- 16g
- Fat
- 39g
- Total carbs
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2.5 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Nut-free (sunflower seed pesto): Toasted sunflower seeds stand in for the pine nuts in the pesto — just as rich, nut-free and much cheaper.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan, until golden and fragrant. Let them cool before blending into the pesto.
With grilled chicken: Sliced grilled chicken breast turns this into a high-protein dinner, with the burrata still as the crowning touch.
- While the squash roasts, pound the chicken to an even ¾ inch (2 cm), rub with the oil and salt, and grill or sear over medium-high heat 5–6 minutes per side, until 165°F (74°C) in the center. Rest 5 minutes, slice and arrange over the pesto squash before adding the burrata.
With zucchini noodles: Spiralized zucchini instead of spaghetti squash cuts the net carbs by about a third and is ready in minutes.
- Skip the roasting. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and toss the zucchini noodles with the salt and pepper for 1–2 minutes, just until warm. Drain off any liquid, toss with the pesto and top with the burrata.
- Squash
- Basil pesto
- To serve
- Nice to have (optional)
- Squash
- Basil pesto
- To serve
- Nice to have (optional)
- Squash
- Basil pesto
- To serve
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Squash
- Basil pesto
- To serve
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $17.05 for 4 servings ($4.26 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce the whole squash several times with a sharp knife, then microwave it for 3–4 minutes to soften the skin, then carefully halve it lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
-
Brush the cut sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet for 30–40 minutes, until the flesh is just tender when pierced but still has some bite.
-
Meanwhile, make the pesto (or use our classic basil pesto): pulse the basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely chopped, then stream in the olive oil with the motor running until smooth.
-
Cool the squash 5 minutes, then rake the flesh with a fork into long strands. You should have about 4 cups — roughly 1 cup per person, which is the portion the nutrition is based on.
-
Toss the warm strands with the pesto until evenly coated and taste for salt.
-
Divide among plates and tear half a burrata over each portion so the creamy center spills over the warm squash. Finish with a pinch of pepper flakes.
Tips for success
-
Keep the portion in check: spaghetti squash has about 5 g net carbs per 100 g raw — more than double zucchini — so stick to about 1 cup of strands per serving and save any extra for another meal. - Don't over-roast. Squash cooked to mush won't separate into strands; start checking at 30 minutes, when a knife tip should still meet slight resistance.
- Want a bigger bowl without many more carbs? Toss in a handful of zucchini noodles along with the squash.
Nice to have, not needed
- A food processor makes quick pesto — a mortar and pestle or fine knife-work gives a coarser, traditional sauce.
- A drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil over the burrata is a lovely finish.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Warm the strands and pesto in a skillet over medium heat 2–3 minutes, then add the burrata cold.
Prep tip: Keep the burrata sealed in its liquid until serving — once opened it lasts only about 2 days.
Store squash strands, pesto and burrata separately in the fridge: strands and pesto up to 4 days (press plastic wrap onto the pesto to keep it green), opened burrata up to 2 days.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosNut-free (sunflower seed pesto)
DietToasted sunflower seeds stand in for the pine nuts in the pesto — just as rich, nut-free and much cheaper.
- pine nuts → hulled sunflower seeds
10 g net · 452 kcal · 17 g protein · 38 g fat · ≈$3.83 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
With grilled chicken
ProteinSliced grilled chicken breast turns this into a high-protein dinner, with the burrata still as the crowning touch.
- + 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- + 1 tbsp olive oil
- + ¼ tsp salt
9.9 g net · 622 kcal · 42 g protein · 45 g fat · ≈$5.37 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
With zucchini noodles
SwapSpiralized zucchini instead of spaghetti squash cuts the net carbs by about a third and is ready in minutes.
- spaghetti squash → zucchini
6.6 g net · 446 kcal · 18 g protein · 39 g fat · ≈$4.80 per serving (−3.3 g net carbs vs the original)
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