As you made have noticed in the past, spaghetti squash itself doesn’t have a strong/noticeable flavor, making it a convenient way to get some vegetables while still getting the cheesy, saucy goodness you want from lasagna! What I learned making it this time is that apparently the spaghetti squash in my supermarket are enormous? – The recipe says to use 3 small to medium spaghetti squash to create 5 cups cooked/shredded squash. I bought the two smallest squash the store had and still wound up with twice as much squash as I needed for the recipe, so, when you’re in the store, either look for super tiny ones, or aim for one roughly the size of the ones in the pictures below.

Ingredients:

• 3 small squash, or one average one (about 5 cups cooked)
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or basil)
• 3/4 cup whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 ounce Italian chicken sausage
• 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 bay leaf

To prepare the spaghetti squash, first preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds.

So much too much squash!

Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then flip cut-side-down and bake 1 hour.

Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, let cool 10 minutes, then shred the insides out with 2 forks. Place the shredded squash into a strainer lined with paper towels and squeeze out any extra moisture.

Meanwhile, while the squash cooks, combine the ricotta, parmesan, and the parsley in a small bowl, then set aside.

To make the sauce, in a large pan, heat the oil then add the onion garlic, cooking over medium-low heat until softened. Add the sausage and cook until browned and cooked through.

I couldn’t actually find loose sausage, so just had to chunk up some…sausage shaped ones.

Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, then add the bay leave and cover.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes, adding the basil once the mixture has thickened some.

When both the squash and the sauce are ready, combine half the sauce with the squash and mix together. Place the sauced squash back in the empty squash shells, or in a baking dish, and top with the remaining sauce.

Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the squash.

I may have swapped more parm for the ricotta…

Bake 20-30 minutes, until everything is hot and the cheese is melty, then serve.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

From Skinny Taste.

• 3 small squash, or one average one (about 5 cups cooked)
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or basil)
• 3/4 cup whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 ounce Italian chicken sausage
• 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 bay leaf

To prepare the spaghetti squash, first preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then flip cut-side-down and bake 1 hour. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, let cool 10 minutes, then shred the insides out with 2 forks. Place the shredded squash into a strainer lined with paper towels and squeeze out any extra moisture.

Meanwhile, while the squash cooks, combine the ricotta, parmesan, and the parsley in a small bowl, then set aside.

To make the sauce, in a large pan, heat the oil then add the onion garlic, cooking over medium-low heat until softened. Add the sausage and cook until browned and cooked through. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, then add the bay leave and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes, adding the basil once the mixture has thickened some.

When both the squash and the sauce are ready, combine half the sauce with the squash and mix together. Place the sauced squash back in the empty squash shells, or in a baking dish, and top with the remaining sauce. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the squash. Bake 20-30 minutes, until everything is hot and the cheese is melty, then serve.