Description
If you’re craving something decadent and delicious without overdoing the calories, you’ll love these delicious spaghetti squash boats filled with everything you love about lasagna – chicken sausage, tomato sauce, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Yield: 6servings | Serving Size: 1boat
Ingredients
3small to medium spaghetti squash, about 5 cups cooked
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/3cuppart skim ricotta cheese
2tbspgrated parmesan cheese
1tbspchopped parsley, or basil
3/4cupwhole milk shredded mozzarella cheese
For the sauce:
1tspolive oil
1/2onion, finely chopped
3clovesgarlic, minced
14ozItalian chicken sausage
14oz1/2 can crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
2tbspchopped basil
1bay leaf
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season lightly with salt and black pepper; bake about 1 hour, or longer if needed on a baking sheet, cut side down.
- If you prefer the microwave, cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and fibers and place on a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave 8-9 minutes or until soft. This method is faster but it will be more watery.
While the spaghetti squash cooks, in a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, 2 tbsp parmesan cheese and parsley.
- In a large deep sauté pan, heat oil and add onions and garlic; sauté on medium-low for about 3 to 4 minutes, until soft.
- Add the sausage and cook, breaking up into smaller pieces until browned and cooked through.
- When cooked, add the crushed tomatoes and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add the bay leaf and cover, reducing heat to low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, then add in fresh basil at the very end.
- When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes keeping the oven on. If you microwaved this, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands reserving the shells.
