Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is one of those recipes you make when you have time for absolutely nothing but still want to indulge in a savory ooey-gooey delight that’ll make every person at your table say “Wow.” Plus, it’s a sheet pan meal that takes minutes to put together. What’s not to love?
What Is Spaghetti Squash?
Spaghetti Squash is the coolest cousin in the gourd family. It has a canary yellow exterior and is shaped like a smoother version of one of those giant dragon eggs someone’s always cradling on House Of The Dragon. (Or a football. Take your pick.) When cooked, its flesh separates into strands the thickness of angel hair.
DOES IT REALLY TASTE LIKE SPaghetti?
No. It does not. It has a neutral flavor and a mildly crunchy texture that smooths out the longer you cook it. But it does look like spaghetti, with strands that vary in length depending on how you slice it. If you go with rounds, you’ll get beautiful long pieces that you can twirl around a fork. I always cut it lengthwise because it’s faster. Even though it gives me shorter strands, I get more ways to work with it because you can stuff it with almost anything.
How To Cut SPaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash can be a beast to work with unless you soften it a little first with a spin on your microwave turntable. Pierce its skin a few times with a fork and nuke it for five minutes before you try to slice it. It will make it so much easier. It’s always a good idea to stabilize it by resting it on a dish towel before you make that first cut. Leave the steak knife in the drawer and bust out your sharpest chef’s knife. Check out our full tutorial on How To Roast Spaghetti Squash.
Do I Have To Use Italian Sausage?
The beauty of spaghetti squash is its mild flavor, which makes it a blank canvas that pairs perfectly with almost anything. Beth and I are kind of obsessed with Italian sausage and melted mozzarella, but feel free to try your favorite combinations.
For example, you can make this a vegan meal with vegan cheese and sausage. Or lean Latin with it, and try chorizo with manchego or a smoky cheddar. The magic is that you don’t need to use any spices. Not even salt. The sausage is already chock full of spices and will flavor the squash as its fat renders in the cavity. The cheeses provide all the salt you need. Beth and I couldn’t score our favorite spicy Italian sausage, so we opted for sweet and added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the mix. That’s, of course, completely optional.
Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Servings 4 quartersIngredients
- 1 spaghetti squash (1.5 lbs.) ($1.19)
- 1/2 lb. Italian ground sausage (sweet or spicy) ($3.00)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella ($0.63)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese ($0.50)
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.06)
Instructions
- Set a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 400°F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half, from tip to end. Scoop out the seeds in its central cavity. Brush each half with the cooking oil.
- Divide the sausage equally between the two spaghetti squash halves.
- Roast for 30 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°. Remove from the oven, but keep your oven on.*
- Use two forks to separate the sausage into small chunks and to separate the squash into strands. Mix it all together.
- Combine the cheeses.
- Divide the cheese mixture equally between the halves and roast for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and begins to caramelize. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash – Step by Step Photos
Set a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 400°F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half, from tip to end. Scoop out the seeds in its central cavity. Reserve the seeds if you wish, and roast them later. Brush each squash half with the half tablespoon of olive oil.
Divide the sausage equally between the two spaghetti squash halves.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°. Remove from the oven, but keep your oven on.
Use two forks to separate the sausage into small chunks and to separate the squash into strands. Mix it all together.
Combine 1/2 cup of mozzarella with the 1/4 cup of Parmesan. We added 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes because all we could find was sweet Italian sausage, and we love a little kick. This is completely optional and has not been calculated into the recipe cost.
Top the squash with the cheese. Divide the cheese mixture equally between both squash halves.
Roast for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and has started to caramelize. Buen provecho! (That’s Spanish for: have the best time eating. And trust me, you will!)
What To Serve With Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Pair your spaghetti squash with these delicious sides:
I was a little skeptical about baking the sausage in the squash, but it worked great. I used a 2 lb squash and microwaved it for 5 min per the intro suggestion to make it easier to cut.
Also, minor request, but please specify when using shredded vs grated parmesan (I feel like Beth used to do this). I used grated without thinking and the texture was meh, I should have used the Italian cheese in my freezer. No fault to the recipe though, it was still tasty. Budget Bytes is my holy grail and I’m loving the steady stream of new recipes to try.
My husband said this was one of his favorites ! I made with veggie sausage and feta cheese. Loved kt