Sausage and Goat Cheese Spaghetti Squash
Sausage and goat cheese spaghetti squash is a cozy and comforting fall dinner dish featuring roasted spaghetti squash with a delicious golden crust piled high with broccoli, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, turkey sausage, and touch of creamy goat cheese.
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash (3-4 lbs)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ tsp sea salt, divided
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper, divided
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- 1.25 lbs Italian turkey or chicken sausage, casings removed (or sub pork sausage; do NOT use precooked sausage)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small broccoli crown, cut into small florets
- 1 c sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 c spinach, roughly chopped
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled, divided (we like honey, sun-dried tomato, or garlic herb flavors in this recipe)
- ¼-½ c low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Prepare the ingredients: Cut the broccoli into small florets. Thinly slice the onion. Mince the garlic. If using dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, thinly slice and re-hydrate the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with water for 15-20 minutes. If using sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drain the oil, pat dry the sun-dried tomatoes, and cut into thin strips. Coarsely chop the spinach.
- Prepare the squash: Carefully use a sharp knife to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Use a sharp spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Brush the inside flesh with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic. Place the cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until fork-tender but not mushy (al dente squash). Set the squash aside until it is cool enough to handle.
- While the squash is cooking, toss the broccoli florets with 2 teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook at 400℉ for 10-15 minutes, or until tender and browned in a few spots. Aim to start cooking the broccoli when you have about 10 minutes left for the spaghetti squash cook time.
- Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the onion and garlic cloves and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant and translucent. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove the sausage from the links and add to the hot pan with the onion mixture. Use a spatula to break the sausage up into smaller pieces. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until browned and cooked throughout. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until just wilted.
- Stir in 3 oz of the goat cheese and ¼ cup of broth. Stir until the cheese is melted. If the sauce is too thick, add more broth a few tablespoons at a time until you achieve the desired consistency. Remove from heat.
- Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash and transfer it to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked broccoli and sausage and goat cheese mixture to the bowl with the squash. Toss well to incorporate. Divide the squash among plates and sprinkle with the remaining 1 oz of goat cheese crumbles, if desired. Enjoy!
- This recipe can be made dairy-free by omitting the goat cheese. If you omit the cheese, you can also omit the broth as it is only needed to help create a goat cheese sauce.