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Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein is an easy weeknight meal made entirely out of vegetables. Instead of using pasta, you use cooked spaghetti squash “noodles!”
I love working with spaghetti squash because you don’t need any special equipment to make the “noodles.” You simply need to scrape the cooked insides with the tines of a fork to get the noodle-like strands out.
You will need to cook your spaghetti squash ahead of time to prepare this recipe, but the process is remarkably quick when you use the Instant Pot. (Here’s an affiliate link to the 6-quart model I use.) If you haven’t noticed, I use my Instant Pot quite often for preparing staples like quinoa, black beans, and spaghetti squash to make my week easier.
You can make the spaghetti squash ahead of time and have it ready to go cold from the fridge for this recipe, or you can cook it just before making this recipe– just be sure to set aside an extra 25-30 minutes if using your Instant Pot or 45-60 minutes if using your oven.
This Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein is totally adaptable to use up any vegetables you might have on hand, so please use this recipe as a general guideline and feel free to get creative!
The size of your squash will most likely vary each time you make this, but since it’s an easy skillet meal you can simply taste as you go and add more seasoning as needed. Be sure to check out the recipe notes below for substitutions!
Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 1 (3 pound) spaghetti squash , cooked and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 celery stalks , chopped
- 2 large carrots , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 3 to 4 tablespoons Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
- Sea salt , to taste
- 1 cup of fresh baby spinach
- 2 green onions , chopped (white and green parts)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , minced
Instructions
- Make sure you have cooked your spaghetti squash ahead of time, either by cooking it in the Instant Pot or in the oven. You can use cold or hot noodles for this recipe, so feel free to cook it ahead of time and store it in your fridge for up to 5 days in advance. If you're cooking the squash right away, chop the other vegetables as it cooks to be efficient with your time. Use a fork to shred the flesh of the cooked spaghetti squash into "noodles" and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet, and saute the onion, celery, and carrots until they are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Use a splash of water, if needed, to prevent sticking. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir for one more minute, just until fragrant.
- Once the veggies are cooked to your liking, add in the the tamari to taste, starting with just 3 tablespoons, maple syrup, and the spaghetti squash "noodles."
- Toss well to heat everything thoroughly and adjust the seasoning, adding sea salt and more tamari if desired. (You may also need another splash of water at this point to prevent sticking.)
- Add the fresh spinach at the very end, as it will wilt quickly from the heat, then serve warm with a garnish of chopped green onions on top. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 158, Fat: 3, Carbohydrates: 25, Fiber: 7, Protein: 3
Recipe Notes:
- Need a soy-free recipe? Swap coconut aminos for the tamari and season with extra salt to compensate for the difference in flavor. If you don’t need a gluten-free recipe, use soy sauce instead of tamari.
- Want more protein? You can round out this meal by adding your favorite cooked protein when you add the spaghetti squash noodles. You can use chicken or eggs, if you like, or for plant-based protein try using white beans. Since this dish is neutral for food combining purposes, you’ll still be enjoying a properly combined meal.
As always, if you try something different with this recipe, please leave a comment below letting us know what worked for you. We can all benefit from your experience!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to prepare spaghetti squash? We also love my Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole around the holidays!
Hi Megan. I haven’t tried your chow mein recipe yet but I will with my next spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash noodles remind me of pancit noodles. I found a recipe for pancit and used the squash instead of the noodles. That’s what I had for dinner tonight. I also used some prepackaged broccoli slaw with carrots and cabbage cause I didn’t feel like chopping up vegetables today, except for some fresh onion.
I find myself coming back to this recipe again and again. Perfect stand alone dish, and also paired with a protein. Thank you again for great recipes!
This was such a nice way to use spaghetti squash. I omitted the maple syrup and added some eggs for a delicious dinner! Will definitely be making this again. Thanks, Megan!
Such a beautiful recipe and presentation. It’s definitely the type of food for everyday meal. Can’t wait to give it a try.
I use shredded cabbage/carrot mix, sliced water chestnuts, and chicken..
I have been paleo but recently decided to go paleo VEGAN and I am so glad I found this. I love how versatile this is. Any veggies you need to use up, you can so they aren’t wasted or maybe worse…boringly cooked. This dish was exploding with flavor. I added garlic and onion and cooked that before adding my veggies, then crushed red pepper, plenty of coconut aminos, powdered ginger and salt and pepper. Then I folded in paleo cashew cheese sauce I had leftover, followed by the spaghetti squash. I highly recommend trying this with homemade paleo cashew cheese for the perfect creamy texture. Thank you because I am now hooked!