Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This recipe for Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is thick and hearty like a bowl of pasta but it’s not! Sausage, marinara, cheese and squash!
A FILLING AND DELICIOUS SQUASH RECIPE
If you haven’t tried making spaghetti squash before now, then you must try it with this recipe for Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. Spaghetti squash has the name because the meat of the squash looks just like spaghetti after it is roasted. Plus, if you are trying to cut back a bit on the carbs, this is a wonderful substitute to get more vegetables in your diet!
TIPS FOR MAKING ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
- I “beefed” this up by using the kielbasa but you can skip it if you prefer.
- I love using the ground Italian sausage in this but you could certainly use ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey.
- Not a fan of ricotta? Just skip it! I like the additional creaminess it adds but it’s not necessary for a delicious dish.
- Want to make this even faster? Try making the Spaghetti Squash in the Instant Pot!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- spaghetti squash
- smoked kielbasa sausage
- ground Italian sausage
- ricotta cheese
- marinara sauce
- shredded parmesan cheese
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped parsley, for garnishing
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 45-60 minutes, until squash can easily be removed with a fork.
While squash is baking, cut the kielbasa sausage in half lengthwise, then slice into small half moon pieces. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown both sides of the sausage. Remove sausage and set aside.
Place the ground sausage in the pan and cook and crumble until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
Place the kielbasa back in the pan along with the cooked ground sausage. Add the ricotta cheese and marinara sauce and stir till combined and bubbling.
Add the parmesan cheese and ½ cup mozzarella cheese, mix into the sauce. Remove from heat.
When squash is cooked, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn on broiler. Using a fork, remove all squash from the skin. It will easily shred and look like little spaghetti noodles. Place the skins back onto the baking sheet. Line a bowl or colander with a kitchen towel or a thick layer of paper towels. Place the spaghetti squash in the towel and squeeze all the water from the squash. This will help the dish stay thick and not get too runny.
Add the spaghetti squash to the sauce and mix to coat.
Refill the squash skins with spaghetti squash mixture.
Top with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.
Place under broiler until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Serve with your favorite salad and garlic bread. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 3 pound spaghetti squash (1 large squash or 2 small squashes)
- 13 ounce package smoked kielbasa sausage
- 8 ounces (1/2 pound) ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 5 cups (40 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 45-60 minutes, until squash can easily be removed with a fork.
- While squash is baking, cut the kielbasa sausage in half lengthwise, then slice into small half moon pieces. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown both sides of the sausage. Remove sausage and set aside.
- Place the ground sausage in the same pan and cook and crumble until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Place the kielbasa back in the pan along with the cooked ground sausage. Add the ricotta cheese and marinara sauce and stir till combined and bubbling.
- Add the parmesan cheese and ½ cup mozzarella cheese, mix into the sauce. Remove from heat.
- When squash is cooked, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn on broiler.
- Using a fork, remove all squash from the skin. It will easily shred and look like little spaghetti noodles. Place the skins back onto the baking sheet.
- Line a bowl or colander with a kitchen towel or a thick layer of paper towels. Place the spaghetti squash in the towel and squeeze all the water from the squash. This will help the dish stay thick and not get too runny.
- Add the spaghetti squash to the sauce and mix to coat. Refill the squash skins with spaghetti squash mixture.
- Top with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Place under the broiler until bubbly and cheese is melted.
- Serve with your favorite salad and garlic bread. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.