This simple vegan dish features tender ribbons of roasted spaghetti squash tossed with aromatic sautéed vegetables and savory herbs. It is a comforting and wholesome meal that is commonly enjoyed for a weeknight dinner.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 1 medium Spaghetti squash (uncooked) (1.36 kg)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (27 g)
- 1 small Onion (150 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 1 cup Cherry tomato (225 g)
- 2 handfuls Spinach (60 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp Dried basil (1.2 g)
- Ingredients in total: 1.84 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 1.04 kg (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 800 g · 2 servings of about 400 g
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
- Drizzle the inside of the squash with a little oil and place face down on a baking sheet, then roast for 40 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
- While the squash roasts, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and the cherry tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes begin to burst.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and cook just until it wilts.
- Once the squash is done, use a fork to scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands directly into the skillet.
- Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and dried basil, tossing everything together gently over low heat until well combined and heated through before serving.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 401 kcal | 100 kcal |
| Protein | 7.41 g | 1.85 g |
| Water | 309 mL | 77.3 mL |
| Sodium | 136 mg | 34 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 62.9 g | 15.7 g |
| Total Fat | 15.4 g | 3.86 g |
| Sugar | 25.3 g | 6.33 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.99 mg | 1 mg |
| Calcium | 160 mg | 40.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 130 mg | 32.4 mg |
| Potassium | 1,610 mg | 402 mg |
| Iodine | 0.3 mcg | 0.075 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 158 mg | 39.5 mg |
| Zinc | 1.97 mg | 0.49 mg |
| Chloride | 57.4 mg | 14.4 mg |
| Selenium | 3.8 mcg | 0.95 mcg |
| Copper | 0.5 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.029 mg | 0.007 mg |
| Manganese | 1.93 mg | 0.48 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0.6 mcg | 0.15 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.13 mcg | 0.032 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.3 g | 0.58 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10.1 g | 2.53 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.52 g | 0.13 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.63 g | 0.66 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 2.11 g | 0.53 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.27 g | 0.068 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 9.99 g | 2.5 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 13.9 g | 3.47 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.79 g | 0.7 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 10.2 g | 2.55 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 45.7 mg | 11.4 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 199 mcg | 49.7 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.8 mg | 0.95 mg |
| Vitamin A | 231 mcg RAE | 57.8 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.39 mg | 0.097 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.02 mg | 0.26 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.25 mg | 0.062 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.55 mg | 0.39 mg |
| Vitamin E | 3.24 mg | 0.81 mg |
| Vitamin K | 180 mcg | 45.1 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 3.44 mcg | 0.86 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 2,613 mcg | 653 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 70.9 mg | 17.7 mg |
| Leucine | 483 mg | 121 mg |
| Lysine | 366 mg | 91.5 mg |
| Polyphenols | 406 mg | 101 mg |
| Methionine | 106 mg | 26.6 mg |
| Oxalates | 318 mg | 79.5 mg |
| Threonine | 299 mg | 74.7 mg |
| Tryptophan | 87.7 mg | 21.9 mg |
| Valine | 364 mg | 91.1 mg |
| Flavonoids | 172 mg | 42.9 mg |
| Histidine | 259 mg | 64.7 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 4.29 mg | 1.07 mg |
| Lycopene | 2.81 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 316 mg | 78.9 mg |
| Purines | 66.4 mg | 16.6 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 325 mg | 81.2 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Nitrite / Nitrate | 7.2 mg | 1.8 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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