Spaghetti Squash Italian Bake

After a weekend full of Thanksgiving carb overload, I was craving something low carb, but still with that classic comfort food feel.  I have experimented with spaghetti squash in the past, and wasn't a huge fan. After my disappointing dinner, many people told me I should try the fruit with tomato sauce. That's when I had the idea to go a little further. What if I combined baked ziti and spaghetti squash? It could be healthy and low carb, but also flavorful and comforting. Time to get to the laboratory I call a kitchen.



What you need:



2 Medium to large spaghetti squashes
1 Jar of tomato sauce
2 Cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Red peppers
Oregano

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 375.
Puncture a few holes in the squash, and pop in the oven for an hour.
Once they are done cooking, cut them in half and let them cool for about 20 minutes.
Remove and dispose of the seeds.
Using a fork, scrape out the meat of the squash. It should look stringy like spaghetti.
Mix the squash and the tomato sauce in a baking pan.



Sprinkle on the red peppers and oregano to taste, then top with cheese.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes.












Ding, ding ding, we have a winner! Everyone was right, spaghetti squash is way better with tomato sauce. It had a bit of a crunch, unlike pasta, but it had a nice mild flavor, and was less bitter than my first try. The sauce was flavorful and delicious, and the added oregano gave if that extra pop of Italian flavor. There was just a hint of added spice from the red peppers. The cheese was perfectly cooked on top, gooey and chewy. This meal was simple and delicious, and definitely brought me to the spaghetti squash side!

What do you think of spaghetti squash? Will you try this baked ziti inspired spaghetti squash Italian bake?

Bye from the Veggie Side!