Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

Spaghetti squash is a vegetable I love to keep in the cooking repertoire! If you don’t already, I highly recommend trying it. My toddler-aged son enjoys eating it too. I think he has fun eating the soft, noodle-like squash.

In this recipe, I use the versatile spaghetti squash as the bowls for two servings. The spaghetti squash is roasted, then filled with a simple meat sauce and topped with cheese. I prefer using smaller spaghetti squashes in this recipe because they are the perfect portions, and they are easier to cut.

Here’s how to cook it:

Prepping the squash

While the oven is preheating, cut the squash in half length-wise. Be sure to use a very sharp knife and a stable cutting board. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.

Next, you’ll need to rub the inside of the squash with olive oil and bake it cut side down on a baking sheet. I prefer to line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Roasting the Squash

Roasting the squash cut side down traps the steam allowing it to cut quicker. It also gives the edges a beautiful golden color. It takes at least 30 minutes to bake a small squash until tender.

The Meat Sauce

Because the squash takes about 30 minutes to bake, this is the perfect time to prep your meat sauce. I used mild Italian sausage, one can of diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and onion powder. I suggest using unsalted canned tomatoes or dice up at least two fresh tomatoes to control the sodium. I also avoid adding salt because the sausage usually contains quite a bit of salt for preservation.

Putting it all together

Lastly, the roasted spaghetti squash halves are filled with the meat sauce, topped with cheese and baked in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Feel free to garnish with your favorite fresh herbs! I used fresh chives from my herb garden that is still growing strong.

All in All

This is a fun twist on traditional spaghetti and meat sauce. The spaghetti squash is a healthy alternative to pasta noodles. Plus, it was fun using the squash as a bowl!

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash halves are roasted until tender and then filled with a mild Italian sausage meat sauce.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 medium size Spaghetti Sqaush No more than 2 pounds in weight
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 lb Mild Italian Sausage casing removed
• 1 14 oz can Diced tomatoes or dice 2 large fresh tomatoes, do not drain the juices
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded, divided

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prep squash by cutting in half length-wise and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Rub the inside of squash halves each with one tablespoon of olive oil.
  
• Place each squash half, cut side down, on a metal baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender and edges are golden.
  
• While squash is baking, cook sausage in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Drain oil from sausage and return to the pan.
• To the sausage, add tomatoes with juices, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir ingredients together and simmer on low for about 10 minutes uncovered. Turn off the heat.
  
• Fill the squash halves with the desired amount of meat sauce and top each with shredded cheese. Return filled squash to oven for about 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Remove from oven, garnish and serve.
  

Notes

Larger squashes will take longer to bake in the oven. Garnish with your favorite herbs such as fresh basil, chives or parsley. Other meats you could try for this recipe: Ground beef, ground lamb, or ground turkey. Add some veggies to the meat sauce: Diced onions, green peppers, or carrots.  

Keyword cheese, sauce, Spaghetti Squash