Nice to have but not necessary- a garlic press (if not, mince the garlic with a sharp knife)
- a silicone brush for oiling the baking sheet and the casserole dish
- a mushroom brush
The spaghetti squash recipe
1 medium sized spaghetti squash (about 8 inches/20 cm long), cooked, insides removed
1 Tbsp/15 mL vegetable oil
1 cup/250 mL chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 cups/500 mL sliced mushrooms
1 tsp/5 mL oregano
1/4 tsp/1 mL salt
1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup/250 mL cottage cheese
1 cup/250 mL grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup/60 mL fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp/5 mL basil
1 cup/250 mL bread crumbs
1/4 cup/60 mL grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
Oil a casserole dish.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
Add the onions and garlic.
Sauté for a few minutes.
Add the mushrooms, oregano, salt and pepper.
Continue sautéing until the onions are soft.
Add the tomatoes.
Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Into a large bowl put the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parsley, basil and bread crumbs.
Mix well.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl.
Add the squash to the bowl.
Mix well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
Bake until heated through (about 45 minutes).
Substitutions
- Use canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh. (You'll need about 1 1/2 cups/375 mL.)
- Use about 1 Tbsp/15 mL dried parsley instead of fresh.
- Use about 1 Tbsp/15 mL fresh basil instead of dried basil.
- Use about 1 Tbsp/15 mL fresh oregano instead of dried oregano.
- Use canned mushrooms instead of fresh - but only in a pinch. Fresh mushrooms taste better!
Ideas for making this recipe your own
- Make your own homemade bread crumbs.
- Experiment with other cheeses instead of - or as well as - the mozzarella.
Tips
- Here's how to cook spaghetti squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375F/180C.
- Oil a baking sheet.
- Slice the squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
- Place the squash halves face down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until easily pierced with a fork (about 30-45 minutes).
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to loosen and scoop out the insides.
- I like to use a solid block of Parmesan, and grate it with a rotary cheese grater. (A regular grater works fine, too.) Freshly grated Parmesan tastes wonderful!!
Menu suggestion
Serve this dish with
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