- Difficulty
- moderate
- Serves
- 4 people
- Dinner
- September 25, 2016
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Italiano
You know the feeling when you are looking for some specifically sized vegetable, but you find everything else except the exact thing you are looking for. When you make up your mind to find a few petite sized spaghetti squashes because you imagine to serve the darling little half globes as a Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Italiano filled with your favorite Italian meat sauce and topped with gooey Parmesan cheese…well lets just dream on because there was no petite squash in sight.
Yes we went to not just one store, but at least four stores where we know they have the best produce in town and we could only find large oversized squash. It seemed like the vegetable trolls were against us and were laughing about our sizable dilemma. In this case bigger squash is not better, unless you are very, very hungry.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Italiano is so easy to prepare and beside being healthy it is much faster to make then you think. For us this is what simple cooking and enjoying traditional flavors with healthy alternative is all about. We can’t even describe how satisfying the flavors are in this lovely Italian dish served in its own edible bowl (just don’t eat the shale). From the warm Parmesan cheese topping and the very tasty spicy tomato – meat sauce to the nutty butternut squash, it is so cozy and comforting just like a large warm wool shall.
PrintStuffed Spaghetti Squash Italiano
Ingredients
- 2 small or 1 large Spaghetti Squash – halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- pinch of Himalayan Salt
- 1 small Yellow Onion – finely chopped
- 2 clove Garlic – minced
- 1 pound Italian Chicken Sausage – casings removed
- 1/4 cup Italian red Wine like Sangiovese, Chianti
- 1 1/2 cups Tomato or Marinara Sauce
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
- Good pinch of Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp dried Oregano
- 1 tsp dried or 4 fresh Basil leaves
- 4 Vine Ripe Tomatoes – cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh Parsley – chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Wash squash and pat it dry. Place it on a Cutting board, and with a sharp large knife cut lengthwise. With a spoon remove seeds. Brush flesh with a little olive oil ( about ? Tbsp) and sprinkle with Himalayan salt.
- Bake squash halves cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. With a fork scrape and fluff the flesh into spaghetti like strands.
- For the Tomato Meat Sauce
- In the meantime heat the rest of the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and sautee for a few minutes until onions become translucent.
- Add the sausage and with the wooden spoon break up the meat into small pieces and cook for 10 minutes
- Pour in the wine and tomato sauce. Season with salt, pepper, pepper flakes, oregano, basil and stir well. Continue to simmer for 15 more minutes.
- Place the squash halves onto a parchment paper lined baking tray or in a fireproof glass dish and spoon meat filling evenly into the shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. To serve sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
