Spaghetti Squash Italiano
I am a big fan of Spaghetti Squash Italiano. It is a delicious side dish made from spaghetti squash, sautéed onions & mushrooms, tangy tomato sauce, shredded zucchini and 3 different cheeses.
It is a wonderful accompaniment to chicken or steak and gives you that taste of Italy without the heaviness of pasta!
There are a few ways to cook spaghetti squash but if you are in a hurry, this is the best. Simply cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and place the squash with the cut side down in a baking dish. Add 1/4-cup of water to the pan and cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
I get that not everyone wants to use plastic wrap in a microwave. You can also cook the halves one at a time if you only have a smaller pan with a lid.
Microwave on high until you can easily flake the squash with a fork. That typically takes 8-10 minutes. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash into a large bowl, being sure to separate the strands.
Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and onions in a medium skillet. Once browned, add to the spaghetti squash.
Add shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, salt & pepper and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top with fontina and parmesan cheeses and bake for 30 minutes.
You can turn the broiler on if you like to crisp up the top (just watch it carefully).
It doesn’t take much to get this healthy, hearty dish on the table.
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Spaghetti Squash Italiano
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2/3 cup diced onions (about 1/2 medium onion)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium), squeezed dry
- 2 ounces grated white cheddar cheese (1 cup)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces fontina, grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
Place squash halves, cut side down, in a microwaveable baking dish. Add 1/4 cup water and cover with a lid. (Note: If you don’t have a lid, you can cover with plastic wrap,. Not everyone wants to use plastic wrap in the microwave, however.). You can microwave one half at a time if you don’t have a big enough dish. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until tender enough to flake into strands with a fork. Carefully remove from the microwave and when cool enough, use a fork to separate the shell from the strands of squash and transfer the squash to a large bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic for 3 minutes and then add the onions, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for 3 more minutes. Remove mushrooms and onions from skillet and transfer to bowl with squash.
Add zucchini, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, salt and pepper and mix well. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart or 8×8-inch baking dish and spread out. Top with fontina and parmesan cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes. If desired, brown the top by turning on the broiler for a minute or two. Serve hot!
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