Honey-Apple Spaghetti Squash & Barley Pudding
Spaghetti squash usually lands on the dinner table with tomato sauce, herbs, or Parmesan, but there’s no reason it has to stay on the savory side of the kitchen. Roast it a little longer than usual, until the flesh is very soft and naturally sweet, and it becomes a surprisingly good base for a warm baked pudding.
In this Honey-Apple Spaghetti Squash & Barley Pudding, the squash practically melts into a lightly sweet honey custard while pearled barley adds the chew you expect from a good rice pudding. Apples, dried cranberries, pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg fill in the rest, giving you something cozy and familiar even though the combination is anything but ordinary.
It’s also a good example of what can happen when you stop thinking of an ingredient as having only one job. Spaghetti squash doesn’t have to pretend to be pasta, and vegetables don’t always have to stay on the dinner plate. A change in technique, a few complementary flavors, and a willingness to experiment can open up a lot more possibilities with the foods already in your kitchen. If you’d like more ideas for doing that, 5 Easy Chef Moves That Make Plant Foods Worth Eating explores some simple ways to bring more flavor, texture, and variety to plant foods without completely changing the way you cook.
Honey-Apple Spaghetti Squash & Barley Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 small spaghetti squash, enough for about 1½ cups very soft cooked squash
- 1½ cups cooked pearled barley, cooled
- 2 cups diced apple, peeled if desired
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup sweetened dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1¾ cups whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 45–60 minutes, depending on its size. For this recipe, roast it beyond the point you normally would for a savory spaghetti squash dish. The flesh should be very tender and soft rather than firm and stringy.
- Let the squash cool enough to handle, then scoop out the flesh. Roughly chop or mash it with a fork so there are no long, spaghetti-like strands. Measure 1½ cups. If the squash seems especially watery, let it drain in a strainer for 10–15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish or similar 1½- to 2-quart baking dish.
- If the dried cranberries feel particularly firm or dry, cover them with hot water for 5–10 minutes, then drain well.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apple, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and cook for about 4–5 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, and honey. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the spaghetti squash, cooked barley, softened apple, dried cranberries, and about half of the chopped nuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle when you gently move the dish. Don’t wait until the center is completely firm; the custard will continue to set as it rests.
- Let the pudding rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Cook the squash longer than usual. This is one time when you don’t want distinct spaghetti-like strands. Very tender squash blends into the custard and gives the pudding a softer, creamier texture.
- Let the barley keep some chew. The contrast between the soft squash custard and the barley is part of what makes the pudding interesting.
- Make it creamier: Replace ½ cup of the whole milk with half-and-half.
- Try another fruit: Pear can replace the apple, and dried cherries can stand in for the cranberries.