Curry Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas

This healthy curry spaghetti squash with chickpeas recipe is wonderfully spicy, delicious, and filling! It is the best low-carb pasta substitute mixed into a curry sauce of fire-roasted tomatoes, spices, cashews, and chickpeas. It’s ready in just under an hour and makes a healthy and satisfying dinner for the whole family.

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite winter squashes to use because it’s super versatile, easy to prepare, and totally absorbs the flavor of anything you cook it with, just like in this spaghetti squash casserole! Which is why I decided to make this low-carb curry with it instead of traditional spaghetti.

While making spaghetti squash is somewhat labor intensive, I’ve kinda got the hang of it now, since I have been making other recipes with it, like vegan spaghetti squash soup, and it’s pretty amazing how, once baked, the squash literally makes flawless spaghetti shaped strands. You’ll see in the how to make sections below.

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🥘 Ingredients

My spaghetti squash curry recipe calls for some staple ingredients and spices that you may already have in your pantry.

Spaghetti Squash: I use this variety of squash due to its distinct stringy texture when baked, similar to spaghetti. It has a mild and neutral flavor, which allows it to take on flavors from sauces, and it also makes it an excellent low-carb substitution for pasta or spaghetti.

Chickpeas: I add a can of chickpeas to give this recipe some texture and add to the heartiness of the dish. You can substitute them for another bean or lentils if you like. If you’re trying to make a keto spaghetti squash recipe, I recommend using ground beef, paneer cheese, or chicken instead of chickpeas.

Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Personally, fire-roasted canned tomatoes have such a deep roasted flavor that truly elevates the dish! You can always opt for fresh tomatoes or diced tomatoes, but I recommend going with fire-roasted to give the curry an extra kick.

Indian Spices: This “masala pasta” uses a variety of Indian spices that bring tons of flavor and make it spicy and rich! I use cumin, curry powder, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt for my spice mixture. If you can’t find curry powder, you can use red curry paste too.

Cashews and Cilantro (to garnish): To add a bright pop and crunch to the dish, I throw in a few crushed cashews and freshly chopped cilantro at the end. Green onions and a squeeze of lime juice would work well here too.

🔪 How To Make

You’ll be surprised at how easy this spaghetti squash is to make with my step-by-step instructions.

Prep Spaghetti Squash: First, I preheat the oven to 400°F, 200°C, and cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife! I scrape out all the seeds and gunky pulp with a spoon and lightly rub a teaspoon of olive oil on each side of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast Squash: I roast the squash face down in an oiled baking sheet for 30-40 minutes and let it cool.

Remove the Flesh: Then, I scrape out the spaghetti squash from the shells with a fork into a bowl and set aside while preparing the sauce.

Prepare the Sauce: I heat a large pot over medium heat and add the chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, and all the spices.

Simmer: I cover and bring to a boil, before simmering on low heat until the chickpeas have softened, about 15-30 minutes (depending on how soft you want the chickpeas). Once the chickpeas have cooked, I stir in the spaghetti squash to combine.

Serve: To serve, I garnish with chopped cashews and cilantro.

📖 Variations

I love experimenting with different flavors and textures in curry recipes like this one. Here are some of the best variations of my spaghetti squash curry with chickpeas:

Thai Curry: I add 1 cup of coconut milk plus 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry sauce or green curry paste, and use tofu instead of the chickpeas. It’ll have more of a Pad Thai type of flavor.

Italian: Instead of Indian spices, I add 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning, Italian canned tomatoes instead of fire-roasted, and instead of cashews as a garnish, I use vegan parmesan cheese.

Add More Veggies: To add more nutrition to the curry, I add a cup of chopped red bell pepper, zucchini, baby spinach, or snap peas.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I love making a family meal with a variety of dishes so everyone can have a taste of different flavors to combine with this healthy spaghetti squash curry.

When we have a curry night, I really enjoy making these traditional Indian samosas as a crispy, flavorful side dish. They’re a bit labor-intensive but totally worth the effort when eating them. These vegetarian poblano stuffed peppers are also popular with my husband and father-in-law because they’re spicy and cheesy, which are flavors that go hand in hand with this spaghetti squash curry.

Potatoes are also a great pairing with this healthy curry, and some of my favorites are healthy baked French fries that have a fluffy center and a super crunchy exterior, or these loaded healthy sweet potato skins topped with beans, hot sauce, yogurt, and corn. The combination of flavors is so yummy, some of my family members forgot that I made spaghetti squash curry and just ate these.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: To store leftover spaghetti squash curry, I let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep for 3-4 days.

Freezing: To freeze, simply transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag and label it with the contents and the date. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: When ready to reheat, place the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and heat on high until warmed through. Alternatively, transfer to a saucepan to warm over the stove.

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5 from 8 votes

Curry Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas

This healthy curry spaghetti squash with chickpeas recipe is wonderfully spicy, delicious, and filling! It is the best low-carb pasta substitute mixed into a curry sauce of fire-roasted tomatoes, spices, cashews, and chickpeas! It's ready in just under an hour and makes a healthy and satisfying dinner for the whole family.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 spaghetti squash
• ▢ 1.5 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 15oz can
• ▢ 15 oz fire roasted tomatoes 1 can
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ tsp curry powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ chopped cashews 1 tbsp per serving
• ▢ chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• ▢
  Prep your spaghetti squash — Cut it in half, scrape out all the seeds and gunky pulp, and roast it face down in an oiled baking dish at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Let cool.
• ▢
  Scrape out the spaghetti squash with a fork, until you have a bowl full of cooked “squash pasta.”
• ▢
  Set the squash aside, and heat a large pot over medium heat.
• ▢
  Put the chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, and all the spices (cumin through salt) in the pot. Cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the chickpeas have softened, about 15-30 minutes (depending on how soft you want the chickpeas). Once the chickpeas have cooked, add the spaghetti squash into the pot, and stir to combine.
• ▢
  Toss with cilantro and cashews, and serve.

Notes

• My #1 Secret Tip for making this spaghetti squash curry is to always cut the squash lengthwise instead of across the middle. When you cut it this way, the strands stay long, just like real spaghetti, and it cooks more evenly. It makes the whole dish taste better and look prettier on the plate too.
• I always scoop out all the seeds with a metal soup spoon because it makes cleaning the inside so easy. It helps the squash roast evenly too.
• I like to sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper before baking to bring out the natural flavor of the squash. It makes a big difference.
• I place the squash cut side down on parchment paper or add a little oil so it does not stick to the pan. Cleanup is much easier that way.
• I poke the back of the squash a few times with a fork to help it cook faster and more evenly in the oven. It is a small step that really helps.
• I roast the squash for about 30 to 40 minutes because I like the strands slightly firm instead of too soft. That is how I get that perfect spaghetti texture.
• When it is done, I scrape the strands from the outside toward the center. Doing it this way keeps them long and stringy, just like pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 5mg