This lightened up version of spaghetti and Italian sausage is baked right in a spaghetti squash! Make it in advance and dinner is ready in minutes.
Ingredients
2medium spaghetti squash, microwaved
1tablespoonolive oil
1poundhot Italian sausage
1cupdiced white onion
½cupchopped roasted red peppers
2clovesgarlic, minced
½cupmarinara sauce
½teaspoonfennel seeds
6ouncesmozzarella cheese, cubed
Fresh parsley, garnish
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. To prepare squash, cut in half through the stem. Poke a few holes in the skin of each half with a fork. Place on a microwave safe plate and microwave spaghetti squash, cut side down, for 10 minutes on high. Let squash cool for a few minutes. IT will be very hot!
For filling, add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up sausage as it cooks. Then add diced onion, roasted red pepper, garlic, marinara, and fennel seeds. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes until veggies soften slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When spaghetti squash are cool enough to handle, use a fork to mix up the flesh of the squash, making spaghetti strands. Leave some of the squash flesh on the exterior. Mix ¼ of the sausage filling and ¼ of the mozzarella cubes into each spaghetti squash.
Place stuffed squash on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Bake for 15 minutes.
Garnish squash with fresh parsley and serve while hot.