Everyone loves a big bowl of pasta smothered with their favorite sauce. It’s filling, comforting, not to mention tasty, but at times it can also be more than a little heavy. Spaghetti Squash is a nice alternative to pasta. This isn’t a replacement. It’s like comparing apples and oranges or vegetable and pasta to be more precise. They are different, but can both perform a similar function in a dish.
To me, the taste of spaghetti squash is somewhere between zucchini and acorn squash. It starts crisp and light like zucchini, but has a distinct winter squash flavor. The best of both worlds so to speak. It can be roasted in the oven or boiled on the stove. It can even be cooked in the microwave. The result is always threads of golden goodness that create a perfect canvas for almost anything.
This go round I used it as a base for a simple sausage and lentil sauce that came together quickly with ingredients I had on hand. I had some lentils, but not enough to stand alone in a dish. I cooked them up with some vegetable stock and garlic until they were “al dente”.
They were joined by chicken sausage. I have to say that I love this stuff. It’s available everywhere it’s precooked and comes in lots of different flavor combinations. For this dish I used Buffalo Chicken Sausage. It was flavored with hot sauce and pepper jack cheese. Any variety would work in this dish, so use what you have or love. Because it is pre-cooked, it heats quickly and has slightly less fat than a fresh variety (though the added cheese may negate some of that benefit). It’s a great ingredient to keep on hand and at less than $4.00 a (12 ounce) package it’s a cheap protein source.
Back to the sauce. Onions and garlic were present of course and canned fire roasted tomatoes brought the sauce together. I chose to let the lentils, sausage, and tomatoes speak for themselves, but fresh or dried herbs would make an excellent addition. A sprinkling of cheese wouldn’t hurt, either.
So once again, the pantry shared its bounty and the recipe muse visited and an easy, delicious and healthy dinner was born.
Sausage and Lentils on Spaghetti Squash
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Sausage and Lentils on Spaghetti Squash
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Instructions
Cook the Spaghetti Squash: It can be microwaved or boiled whole. Make sure to pierce in several places to avoid explosions
To oven roast; cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush cut sides with a little olive oil and place cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Once the squash is cooked and has cooled enough to be handled, scrape the flesh with a fork to loosen the strands of squash. Drizzle with olive oil and add some freshly ground pepper. Keep warm .
Rinse the lentils and drain them. Place in a medium sauce pan. Add 1-1/2 cups of vegetable stock and half the garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until almost all of the stock is absorbed. Set aside.
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for several minutes until they begin to soften and turn translucent
Add the sausage and the remaining garlic to the pan and continue to cook until the sausage begins to brown and the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the cooked lentils to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes to let everything get comfortable.
Pour the canned tomatoes into the pan and stir everything up. Add a little of the remaining vegetable stock to loosen things up. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or so. If things get too thick, add more stock. The mixture should reduce slightly and the flavors should come together.
Spoon the spaghetti squash into four pasta bowls. Top each bowl with a portion of the sausage and lentil mixture and serve.
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Combine these tasty ingredients to create a side dish that goes with anything.
Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Bacon
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Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Bacon
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Instructions
Cook the Spaghetti squash in the microwave until it gives when touched. You can also bake or boil it. Times will vary based on the size of the squash. A squash weighing under 2 pounds takes 7 - 10 minutes or so in the microwave.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds. Using a fork, scrape the flesh. It should come out in thin ribbons. Remove all the flesh and set aside.
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until just beginning to crisp. Remove the bacon and let it drain on paper towels. Remove all but a teaspoon of the drippings from the pan.
Add the peppers and garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes until the peppers begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Add the spinach and cook for several minutes until it is wilted.
Add the squash to the pan and cook and stir everything for another 3 minutes or so. If things seem too dry, add a little chicken stock.
Return the bacon to the pan along with the herbs. Toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until everything is heated through. About 3 minutes.
Serve as a side dish with grilled chicken, pork or fish.
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