Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Happy Fall Everyone! Finally this week’s cooler temperatures has it actually feeling like fall in the Midwest which means it is time to pull out the autumn squash recipe file. This recipe for Spaghetti Squash Lasagna reminds me of a Pinterest craft project. It involves multiple steps and layers but don’t let that scare you, they are simple! And this recipe is really fun to make with kids.

My kids are fascinated by Spaghetti Squash so this recipe caught their attention from the start. They had fun picking out perfectly sized spaghetti squash from Eckert’s wide variety. Back at the house, they helped me wash the squash with my handy dandy produce brush before I prepared it for baking. The kids were also super helpful in shredding the baked squash, mixing the ingredients and assembling the layers in the reserved squash shells. The most fun however, comes when you get to eat the finished product in your very own stuffed squash shell!

We prepared this recipe with Eckert’s home-grown spaghetti squash, Eckert’s home-grown garlic and home-made sausage from our meat department. It doesn’t get any fresher than that on the farm!

You will be amazed by the tasty flavor and texture of this recipe for Spaghetti Squash Lasagna. I hope you will give this gluten-free, low-carb recipe a try sometime soon. When you do, I know you will have so much fun putting your creative spin on the assembly process!

Eat well this fall,

Angie

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

2 small spaghetti squash (about 1 ½ pounds each)
2 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (5-ounce) package of fresh baby spinach
½ cup ricotta
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 ½ ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about 1 cup, divided
1 pound uncooked ground beef or Eckert’s Italian Sausage
2 cups marinara sauce
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Cut each squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Place squash halves, cut sides up, on a rimmed parchment lined baking pan. Bake about 50 minutes or until soft but still holding shape. Allow to stand and cool about 10 minutes. Carefully, scrape inside of each squash with a metal table fork to remove spaghetti like strands into a large colander. Place empty squash shells back on the same rimmed parchment lined baking pan. Set aside.

Press spaghetti squash strands to extract excess moisture. Set aside.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high meat. Add oil to pan coating the bottom. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add fresh spinach and cook about 1 minute or until just wilted.

In a medium bowl, stir together spinach mixture, squash strands, ricotta, salt and half of the mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

Return skillet to medium high heat. Add ground beef or sausage and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Add marinara sauce; stir to coat meat.

Increase oven temperature to 400-degrees.

Spoon meat sauce evenly into each squash half.  Cover the meat sauce evenly with the divided spinach/squash/cheese mixture. Sprinkle each squash half with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

Leave baking pan with stuffed squash in oven. Preheat broiler to high. Broil baked squash about 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven; allow to stand about 8 to 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 entrée servings.
*remove sausage from casing before browning