Looking at that title, I want to clarify. I do not want to marry spaghetti squash. I am already in a committed relationship. There is a flood on food sights, however, for the “Marry Me” base and I am actually getting on the bandwagon (a little).
Where did this come from? As the story goes, it originated at Delish, a video food site. It was a skillet chicken dish with a Tuscan flavor featuring garlic, parmesan, cream, and sun dried tomatoes. Seeing the dish caused a producer to say that they would marry for it. And that is how a trend was born.
Actually the ingredients are a wonderful combination and cooks soon realized that it could be used for all manner of proteins and in many cases vegetables. I have made several variations using chicken, but this latest experiment focused on the versatile and identity conflicted Spaghetti Squash.
It is a hard shell squash like the winter squashes, but the inside is a pale yellow and when cooked it becomes stringy and if done “al dent” is a bit crunchy.
Some say it can be used in place of pasta. I find that a bit of a stretch. You really can’t twirl it on a fork and while it does get along with tomato based sauces, it really does shine with creamier toppings and in casseroles If you cut the squash carefully, the skin can become the baking/serving vessel. I posted a recipe many years ago doing just that. It was called Spaghetti Squash Lasagna and you can check out the recipe here.https://mamadskitchen.net/recipe/spaghetti-squash-lasagna/
Now back to today’s dish. The base is oven roasted spaghetti squash. This is by far the best way to cook it. Cut the squash in half length wise and scrape out the seeds. Spray the cut side with cooking spray and season to you liking. Bake cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet for 30 minutes or so at 350 degrees. The skin should yield a little when you touch it. Let it cool and then scrape the flesh out. It should come out in small strings.
Now for the other ingredients. I did use the Marry Me cornerstones, sun dried tomatoes and garlic, but I added a few other ingredients that speak to me often, those are Artichoke Hearts and Spinach. Garlic gets lonely if it doesn’t have onions, so that went in too.
Cheese, in my recipe is pecorino romano. Freshly grated, it will give some sharpness to the dish.Yes, that is the Mouli Grater I have had since I was a bride (the first time).
Now for the sauce. I didn’t use cream, I didn’t have any, so I substituted Ricotta (whole milk) and to lighten it up just a little, some chicken broth The pecorino would also join the sauce. More about that other pictured cheese later.
While the squash was roasting I cooked the other vegetables. A little olive oil and the onions went into the pan, followed shortly by the artichokes, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and finally the spinach. Then I gently folded in the shredded squash and we were ready to turn it into a casserole.
The sauce was Ricotta, Chicken Broth, and Pecorino. I played with the broth until everything was creamy but not soupy. Then it was into a casserole, topped with a foil bonnet, and into the oven. 20 – 30 minutes and it was time to replace the foil bonnet with a layer of that Italian Cheese Blend. 
It came out beautifully golden and was too quickly scooped onto plates. It was a perfect accompaniment to grilled pork loin.
Here is the recipe. As always change it up and make it your own.
- 1-1/2 -2 Pound Spaghetti Squash
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves
- 1-1/2 Cups Frozen Artichoke Hearts Thawed and dried
- 1/3 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 4 Cups Spinach Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Ricotta
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth More or less as needed
- 2-3 Tbsp. Grated Romano or Parmesan
- 1/2 Cup Grated Italian Blend Cheese
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Cut the squash in half lengthwise. A sharp knife and a bit of muscle will be necessary.
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Scoop out the seeds. Spray the cut sides with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Season as you choose. (I used Mccormick Italian Herb Grater.) Place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
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Roast at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. It is done when you can press on the skin and leave a little impression. Remove from oven and allow to cool cut side up until it can be easily handled. When cool, use a fork to scrape out the strings.
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In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until they begin to get some color. This should take 5 minutes or so.
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Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the spinach. The spinach will seem like a lot, but it will cook down in a matter of minutes. Finally add the squash and sun dried tomatoes folding them in and cooking for 2-3 minutes.
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Stir in the Ricotta and gradually add enough of the chicken broth to make everything creamy. When you are happy with the consistency, add the grated Romano or Parmesan. Make sure everything is nicely blended and pour into a medium size casserole that you have lightly coated with cooking spray. Lightly cover with foil and bake for 20- 25 minutes at 350 degrees until it is just starting to bubble around the edges.
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Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Italian cheese blend. Leave the foil off and return it to the oven. Bake until the cheese melts and is just beginning to brown. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.
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