Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage
Gluten Free Living – 2023
Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage is a wonderful low-calorie meal. Spaghetti Squash is used instead of pasta, cutting down on high-calorie carbs. Plus, spaghetti squash is healthier, savory and so tasty. You’ll be surprised at just how delicious spaghetti squash is with a good marinara sauce.
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I am always looking for pleasurable ways to prepare food–especially when those ways eliminate pasta or bread in any form. I had purchased a large spaghetti squash and was trying to figure out what I was going to make with it. Then I thought about doing a spaghetti sauce but with Italian sausage as well as ground beef. It really was a great combination.
This recipe makes enough sauce for two spaghetti squashes, although I only used one. My husband still prefers regular pasta so we made that too. But for those of you trying to watch your calories, lose weight, or just eat healthier, Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage is a delightful dinner idea that’s actually just as good reheated for leftovers. 🙂 Enjoy.
Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage is delicious. Add a little Parmesan Cheese on top and it’s even better!
This is a scrumptious low calorie meal and it reheats wonderfully!
I loved every bite of this tasty dish.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients. But you will only use about half of these ingredients. I doubled the recipe for another use.
Place the spaghetti squash in a baking dish and cut in several places with the tip of a knife. Place squash in a 400 degree oven. Bake about one hour to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the squash.
Remove from oven when it feels soft. Allow to cool.
Cut squash in half with a sharp knife and lay out on a cutting board.
Remove the pulp and seeds from the middle of each spaghetti squash half. Discard.
Here’s the spaghetti squash with the pulp and seeds removed.
Using a fork, scrape the squash out of the shell.
This is the inside view of the shell after all the spaghetti squash is removed. It will be almost perfectly clean!
Place spaghetti squash on a serving dish.
While the spaghetti squash is baking, prepare the marinara sauce. Place lean ground beef and Italian sausage in a Dutch oven.
Mash the meat down with a hamburger chopper into small pieces while frying.
Cook until meat is no longer pink; drain, if necessary.
Add chopped onion, bell pepper and minced garlic.
Stir to combine and cook until veggies are mostly tender – a couple of minutes.
Add whole tomatoes and cut them down with a fork. Or, you can add tomato puree for a thicker sauce.
Stir to combine.
Add diced tomatoes, mushrooms and tomato paste.
Stir to combine again; this is where I had to transfer the mixture to a larger Dutch oven!
Add spices and bay leaves.
Cover with lid and cook over low heat about 1 1/2 hours, until flavors have blended.
Remove bay leaves.
Spread spaghetti squash on a platter. Top with spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Or serve on individual plates.
While you can serve this spaghetti sauce over regular pasta, it’s really wonderful with spaghetti squash.
This mouthwatering main dish is healthy, low calorie and gluten free.
This is a marvelous way to enjoy spaghetti squash!
Here’s the recipe.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE
(My own concoction)
Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven with lid
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 hamburger masher to break meat up into small pieces while frying
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 fork to remove squash from shell
Ingredients
- 29 oz. can whole tomatoes undrained, cut with a fork (or substitute tomato puree for a thicker sauce)
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 15 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes undrained, or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes undrained
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 2 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces drained
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
- 3/4 tsp. dried basil
- 3/4 tsp. dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp. fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 dashes crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Place spaghetti squash in a large baking dish and bake at 400º for about an hour, to an hour and a half, or until cooked through.
- Allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, crumble ground beef and Italian sausage into a large Dutch oven.
- Heat over medium heat, turning meat frequently until it is no longer pink.
- Use a hamburger chopper to break the meat up into small pieces while frying.
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms.
- Sauté a few minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree (if using) and seasonings including the bay leaves.
- Reduce heat to low; cover with lid and cook about 1 ½ hours or until bubbly and flavors have blended.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove pulp and seeds; discard.
- Use a fork to remove the strands of spaghetti squash and place on a serving platter.
- Keep warm.
- Once sauce has cooked, remove bay leaves.
- Serve sauce over hot, cooked spaghetti squash and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
The texture of spaghetti squash is very similar to spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
Italian sausage adds a little zip to the recipe that it wouldn’t have with ground beef or ground turkey alone.
Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage can be eaten alone or with your favorite sides.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Spaghetti Squash and Parmesan Meatballs
Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash
Roasted Italian Tomatoes With Spaghetti Squash
