Description
Spaghetti squash noodles topped with sweet and smokey pork, loads of red and green peppers and a sprinkling of cheese. This Maple Pulled Pork Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is easy, delicious and just the perfect weekday supper!
Ingredients
For the maple pulled pork:
- 1 small pork tenderloin (1 – 1.5 lbs)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp pure white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
For the stuffed spaghetti squash:
- 1 medium-sized spaghetti squash
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Maple pulled pork: In a small dish, whisk together the maple syrup, mustard and vinegar. Set aside. In another small dish, combine the garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the pork tenderloin in the spice mixture. Add the pork, maple syrup mixture and chopped onion to a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. (Don’t forget to grease the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray). Once cooked, shred the pork in the slow cooker and mix it in with the remaining maple syrup mixture and onion, most of which will be caramelized.
- Stuffed spaghetti squash: When the pork is almost cooked, start preparing the squash. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the ends off the squash and then cut in half (lengthwise). Scoop out the seeds and brush the flesh with olive oil. Season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the squash face down (skin side up) on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the skin and flesh.
- Assembling the stuffed squash: Once the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, or until cooled enough to handle. Scrape through the flesh with a fork to create strands, which will look like spaghetti. Keep the noodles in the skin and add the pork, red and green peppers and cheese to the top. Bake for 15 minutes on 350 degrees, or until the stuffed squash is heated through and the cheese is melted. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days!
Notes
- I like to cook the pork on high for 3 hours until there is no liquid left in the slow cooker. This allows enough time for the maple syrup mixture and onions to caramelize. So don’t be alarmed if all the liquid is absorbed and cooked off.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook the pork on 300 degrees in the oven for about 1.5 hours, or until the pork is cooked through. It won’t be as tender or as caramelized as if it were cooked in the slow cooker, but it will still be delicious.
- This recipe works best with a pork tenderloin but I’ve also made it with a pork loin roast or pork loin centre chops. It doesn’t shred quite as easily, but it still works well.
- I usually cook a small tenderloin (1 – 1.5 lbs), which I find is enough to feed two people. If you have a larger tenderloin or more than one squash, just double the recipe.
