Italian stuffed twice baked Spaghetti Squash

ITALIAN STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPE

This recipe for Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is thick and hearty like a big bowl of pasta ( and as comforting) but it's not! Sausage, marinara, cheese and squash! Also reminds me of a big slice of lasagne…Mmmmm

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 1 Spaghetti squash

• Olive Oil

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 lb ground beef

• ground Mild Italian sausage (I used 2 links casing removed)

• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese

• 3/4 cup marinara sauce

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

• 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese ( or Italian mixture)

• chopped parsley, for garnishing

• 2 Tbsp dried Italian herbs

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle each half of the squash generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and dried Italian herbs. 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, add Olive oil to a large skillet and add chopped onion and saute till tender ( about 5 minutes). Add minced garlic and additional dried Italian seasoning and stir for another minute. Crumble and add in the Italian sausage and ground beef and brown stirring often to incorporate the onions and garlic chopping up the meat as you brown. Fold in the marinara, ricotta and Mozzarella. Set aside.

Remove the squash from the oven when completely cooked and let cool slightly. When able to handle, use a fork and carefully shred away the inner stringy flesh creating your “angel hair pasta” and add to the warm meat mixture. Gently combine the squash “noodles” with the meat and fill each shell with the mixture dividing equally between the two. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until heated through and bubbly on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy.