Rich,
nutty squash combines with fire roasted tomatoes, smooth ricotta, and
spicy Italian sausage to create a warm and inviting dish that also
happens to be healthy! The tender squash, which is slightly buttery and
oh-so-delicious, is highlighted by the bold flavors in the sauce. And at
the same time, every bite of this delectable dish comes with juicy,
tender sausage with just the right amount of heat!
Spaghetti
Squash is my new “I love it!” food, and this is great way to try it if
you are having it for the first time (or even if you have had it
millions of times! It is soo good!)
*To see my thoughts of Spaghetti Squash and to get cooking instructions, see this post.
Spaghetti Squash with Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Sausage
Serves: 3 Serving Size: 1 cup squash mixture and 1 sliced up sausage
Calories/Serving: 248
Ingredients
- 3c. cooked spaghetti squash, “forked” into strands*
- 3 (3.9-oz) hot Italian turkey sausages (such as Jennie-O’s, which is my favorite brand to use)
- 1/4tsp garlic powder
- 1/8tsp salt
- 1/8tsp pepper
- 1/2tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2c. canned fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
- 1/4c. tomato sauce OR your favorite marinara
- 1/4c. low-fat ricotta
- basil (optional), chiffonaded (very thinly cut)
Instructions:
- Place the Spaghetti Squash in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a medium pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook the sausages, making sure to brown each side. This should take approximately 15 minutes total, although make sure that the sausage is cooked since it is made from turkey.
- After being fully cooked, remove the turkey from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest for at least ten minutes (you don’t want dry sausages, so you need to let it rest so the juices can settle down!)
- Reduce the pan’s heat to low, and add in the tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and the tomato sauce (or marinara). Stir well, and heat until warm-hot. Add in the ricotta, and stir just until all of it is mixed in and smooth.
- Put the “forked” squash into the pan as well, and fold until it is well coated with the sauce. Turn off the heat, and place 1c. of the squash mixture onto each of 3 plates.
- Cut the sausages into bite-sized slices, and top each plate with the equivalent of 1 whole sausage. Sprinkle with basil, if desired. Dig in!!
