Tender strands of spaghetti squash are drenched in smoky barbecue sauce and stuffed into crispy shells to make these flavorful fall-inspired tacos.
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 25 minutes
Yield:3-4 servings 1x
Scale
Ingredients
For the pulled spaghetti squash:
1 medium (2 pound) spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup water
¼ cup tomato paste
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon ground cumin
A few dashes of cayenne pepper, to taste
For the avocado slaw:
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3–4 tablespoons unflavored soy or almond milk
2 cups shredded red cabbage
½ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
¼ cup chopped scallions (about 2 scallions)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
For the tacos:
6 to 8 corn tortillas or taco shells
Instructions
To make the pulled spaghetti squash:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Poke a few holes in the spaghetti squash with a knife, then place on a baking sheet. Bake until easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
While the spaghetti squash cools, coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with oil and place over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté about 1 minute more, until very fragrant. Add water, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, liquid smoke and cumin. Stir until smooth and well blended. Bring the mixture to a simmer, lower heat and allow to cook at a low simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, adding a splash more of water if the mixture becomes too thick. Remove from heat.
When spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and inner pulp, then scoop out the inner flesh and add to the sauce mixture. Using a fork, pull the mixture into strands, and then stir a few times, until squash is evenly coated with sauce.
To make the avocado slaw:
Place avocado, garlic and cider vinegar into a food processor bowl fitted with an S-blade, and process until smooth. Thin with 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk, as needed. Place cabbage, carrots, scallions and cilantro into a medium bowl. Add avocado mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the tacos:
If using corn tortillas, warm them up by placing each one into a hot skillet for 30 seconds or so. Divide pulled spaghetti squash and avocado slaw among tortillas or shells, stuff and serve.