Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas

A creamy, lighter pumpkin vodka sauce tossed with perfectly roasted spaghetti squash topped with crispy chickpeas, all the herbs, and of course tons of ricotta: I could seriously eat this Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas every night of the week. 

Last year truly seemed to be the year of the spaghetti squash. The large, yellow, oval squashes have a very similar flavor palette to your typical fall squash. What makes this variety different, however, is the string, or “spaghetti-like,” strands that make up their interior after roasting. With just under 40 minutes in the oven, spaghetti squashes can turn into a hearty, yet still healthier, pasta alternative. Hence, the internet went viral over this veggie — as it always does when a new pasta alternative is out there. What I usually see, however, are spaghetti squash “boats.” I love this idea, and even made a recipe of my own during the peak of this trend. Still, sometimes I’m craving something a little more saucy — something with a little less emphasis on the vegetable itself, if you will. This creamy, dreamy pumpkin ricotta vodka sauce is the perfect solution. An easy, yet fairly healthy alternative to your classic pumpkin cream sauce tossed with that perfectly roasted squash and topped with crispy chickpeas for some good crunch: there’s nothing bad about this one. You have to try it!!

the breakdown…

This Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas could not be easier. To start things off, you have to send those chickpeas and that squash to the oven for 35-40 minutes. So, it may seem like this recipe requires a lot of time, but, really, it’s mostly hands-off. For that squash, I opt to slice them HORIZONTALLY for this recipe. While I usually would slice my squash vertically — at least for a spaghetti squash boat — I find that horizontal is best for this recipe because it produces longer strings of squash. You don’t want small strands of squash breaking up when you toss them with the squash (although a little breakage is inevitable), and I find this to be the best way to prevent that. 

After slicing them up and removing the seeds, simply rub the squash halves with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Place them face down on a baking sheet and send them to the oven! Oh, and, simultaneously, go ahead and roast up those chickpeas. My biggest tip here is to dry your chickpeas very well, after rinsing and draining them of course. This will ensure that they get super crispy in the oven, as opposed to remaining soft. Plus, with tons of garlic powder and some salt, you get the perfect little crunch that is vital to this Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas recipe. 

all about that sauce…

While those are roasting up in the oven, go ahead and get working on that sauce. This is a cross between a pumpkin sauce, a healthier cream cheese sauce, and a vodka sauce. Really, could it get much better? I don’t think so. Start off by sauteing up some onion, just because that’s absolutely essential to any good sauce. If you insist on a creamy sauce, you can puree these onions up later on; but, in my opinion, texture is always a good idea. Then, toss in all the flavor — the base that truly makes this sauce what it is. I’m talking tons of chopped garlic, dried rosemary, oregano, and thyme… and then of course red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. I love all the fall herbs in this dish. There’s just something about those cozy flavors with the pumpkin that is so good for the soul. Speaking of which, that pumpkin is thrown in next, along with some coconut milk or greek yogurt, ricotta, vodka, maple syrup, and milk. Pumpkin is essential to the base of this sauce, basically acting as the main thickening agent. 

so much flavor!!

The coconut milk or yogurt and ricotta are essential for some extra thickness and creaminess. Plus, that ricotta mixed with the maple syrup? It’s brings in such a good flavor. Then, with that milk and vodka, your sauce takes on the best ever creamy texture. You can use whatever variety of milk you would like for this recipe, including a non-dairy variety — or even heavy cream. Make it as light or as rich as you would like! But, just make sure both your yogurt (if using) and milk are at room temperature. If they are too cold, they will likely split (turn to speckles) if you pour it directly into the hot sauce — especially if you use a low-fat or fat free option. You could even microwave your yogurt and milk a bit to ensure it’s not too cold.

how to serve it up…

With all that goodness thrown stirred into your sauce, all you have to do is let the flavors simmer together. Then, toss those long spaghetti-like strands of squash into that sauce and get everything ready to serve. Top your squash pasta with some crispy chickpeas, fresh ricotta, and a few fresh herbs and you’re ready to go! You can even top it with some crispy halloumi or chicken, too, if you would like! Really, either way, this Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas is truly one of the best easy weeknight dinners… oh, and it’s healthy too!! I mean, it’s a dinner based on veggies, after all. But with saucy, cheese, and all the textures, it could totally also be the most ultimate fall side dish. My favorite way to eat it? Serving it up with some simply dressed greens and calling it a night. It’s truly the best.

I hope you love this Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))

Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main CourseCuisine: American, FallDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

A creamy, lighter pumpkin vodka sauce tossed with perfectly roasted spaghetti squash topped with crispy chickpeas, all the herbs, and of course tons of ricotta: I could seriously eat this Pumpkin Ricotta Spaghetti Squash with Crispy Chickpeas every night of the week.

Ingredients

• spaghetti squash and chickpeas:

• Olive oil or olive oil spray, as needed

• 2 spaghetti squashes, cut in half horizontally and deseeded

• A pinch of salt, to taste

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and pat dry*

• 2 tbsp garlic powder

• pumpkin sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ a large yellow onion, finely diced

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• ½ tsp dried rosemary

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• Red pepper flakes, to taste

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

• 1 cup coconut milk or plain greek yogurt*

• ¾ cup ricotta cheese

• ½ cup vodka

• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 ½ cup milk or heavy cream, at room temperature*

• ⅓ cup parmesan (or nutritional yeast)

• Fresh herbs, such as oregano, rosemary, and thyme, to serve

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Rub the spaghetti squash halves with olive oil and salt and place, core side down, on one of the baking sheets. On the other baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with more olive oil, salt, and the garlic powder. Send both baking sheets to the oven (chickpeas below the squash) and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the chickpeas are crispy and the squash is fork tender.
• Meanwhile, get working on the pumpkin sauce. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Toss in the garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and cook for another 30 seconds. Finally, stir in the pumpkin, coconut milk or yogurt, ricotta, maple syrup, and vodka. Bring the liquids to boil and boil for 4-5 minutes to cook out the alcohol. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the parmesan.
• Once the spaghetti squash is done, use a fork to scrape spaghetti-like strands of squash out from the core of each squash. Toss the squash strands with the sauce in the skillet.
• Serve some of the saucy squash in each bowl. Top with some of the crispy chickpeas and fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Notes

• It is very important that you pat your chickpeas dry after you rinse and drain them. This will ensure that they get super crispy in the oven, as opposed to remaining soft. 
• If you are using yogurt instead of coconut milk, it’s very important that it’s at room temperature before tossing it in. If it is too cold, it will likely split (turn to specks) once tossed in the sauce — especially if you use a low-fat or fat-free variety. You could even microwave your yogurt for a minute or two to ensure that it is not too cold.
• You can use whatever variety of milk you would like for this recipe, including a non-dairy variety. You could also use heavy cream. If you use a low-fat, skim, or non-dairy milk, however, it is especially important that it is warm enough to not split in the sauce. I like to microwave mine for about 30 seconds prior to pouring it in.  
• This dish can easily be made vegan with vegan ricotta (Kite Hill brand is the best) and a dairy-free milk.