Spahetti Squash With Turkey Sausage & Roasted Tomatoes

November 14, 2012 / No Comments

Spaghetti Squash With Turkey Sausage & Roasted Tomatoes

I think spaghetti squash is truly an amazing vegetable, and I love pulling the fork through it once it is cooked getting all those long “pasta looking” strands. Although I do enjoy cooking with it and eating it, I do not agree with some folks who state it has the texture of real spaghetti, and obviously, those folks mustn’t eat a lot of well cooked pasta dishes. I was in the mood for spaghetti squash recently, and although I usually prepare it simply with a fresh tomato sauce on top, I decided to toss it with some oven roasted tomatoes, and sautéed spicy turkey sausages for something different. I added a bunch of chopped fresh herbs and it was a hearty, full flavored main dish for dinner that I finished off with a big crunchy mixed salad. If you prefer, you could simply use mild sausages instead of the spicy variety, but I found they added a lot of flavor to the dish.

Why Healthy

Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamin A. But that’s not all; there are significant amounts of vitamin C, E, K, B6, folate and thiamin.
Tomatoes are a source of vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fiber and a great source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
Turkey sausage is much leaner than pork reducing fat calories in this dish.

Spaghetti Squash With Turkey Sausage & Roasted Tomatoes

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
3 Spicy or Mild Italian Turkey Sausage Links, Meat Removed From Casings
3 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Thinly Sliced
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Herbs (Chives, Basil, Parsley)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Toss the tomatoes with two tablespoons of olive oil, and place in a casserole dish in the oven.
Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and loose strands of flesh.
Lightly oil a baking sheet, and place the squash cut side down on the pan.
Cook the squash until it is fork tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
In a frying pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons olive oil and cook the turkey sausage meat, breaking it up with two forks as it cooks, until it is lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes until it is fragrant.
Add the wine, and cook over medium heat until the wine has reduced by half.
Once the squash has cooked, use a fork to pull the strands away from the shells and place in the pan with the turkey.
Add the roasted tomatoes and fresh chopped herbs, and toss to mix well.
Serve immediately.