These little 5-ingredient tots are a nice healthy snack, appetizer, or side dish on any day of the week! My favorite way to prepare spaghetti squash has always been to make a casserole with mushrooms and tomatoes. I thought I would change up the recipe a bit and make some tasty tots dipped in marinara sauce today. I never had tots growing up and didn’t discover them until much later in adult life, but my mom did make what I’d call an Italian version of a tot. I think she just mashed up some potatoes with parsley, an egg and flour, and fried them up in a pan. You can also saute´these with a bit of oil, but I’ve baked them here as a healthier option. Let me know what you think!
- 2 c cooked spaghetti squash
- ¼ c finely diced onion
- ⅓-1/2 c Pecorino Romano cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1 egg
- ¼ c bread crumbs (regular or gluten free)
- Salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Slice squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down on parchment, and bake 50-60 minutes or until tender. Scoop out 2 cups which is about half the squash, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Roughly chop the squash in the bowl so you don't have too many long strands.
- Add onion and cheese/yeast until incorporated, then add the egg.
- Add bread crumbs, then salt, and pepper to taste.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon onto a greased parchment lined pan, and form into a small cylinder. You can also squeeze tightly between the palm of your hand to release some liquid, then form the cylinder while allowing the mixture to stick together. Mine look more like a squared rectangle, either way they'll taste great! Add more crumbs if necessary.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then flip for another 6-8 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce, marinara is great with these!