As I was trying to think of something to make for lunch the other day I decided I wanted to do something vegetarian & use a spaghetti squash I had in my pantry. Let me start by saying that both those ideas seem crazy when it comes to my fishing (and soon to be hunting) guide. He is a strong meat & potatoes guy (the only time vegetarian dishes are safe is for lunch) and he isn’t too thrilled with that squash in general. I made it once as spaghetti squash fritters (which he enjoyed but not enough for a remake request) and once as Bacon Spaghetti Squash Pasta which I loved, but apparently he thought it was just so-so. Thus, I have a mission to make him enjoy this food.
I figured I could stuff it. After all, it looks like two bowls when you empty it out and I have come across various stuffed squash recipes in the past. So I looked into my pantry and came out with the following recipe. Even my meat & potatoes guy enjoyed this creation. It has plenty inside to make you forget that there isn’t any meat, and the squash isn’t the star, but is a strong contributor to the dish.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (serves 2)
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- olive oil
- 1 small-medium onion, chopped
- 1 small-medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 can chili beans, drained but not rinsed
- 1/2 cup chunky salsa, hotness is your choice
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking dish with foil. Cut the spaghetti squash in half (or have someone do it for you if you are like me). Scoop out the seeds.
Lightly oil the inside and outside of the squash and place cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes (adding water if needed to the baking pan for the last 15 minutes to loosen up the flesh). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. The flesh should flake easily with a fork. Shred all the squash.
Meanwhile, sauté the onion & green pepper in a small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat until caramelized (about 20-40 minutes depending how low & slow you are cooking). Add the drained chili beans until warmed through. Add the flesh from one squash half. Put the other flesh in a container to be used later. Add the salsa and 1/4 cup cheese (don’t worry about extra seasoning, the beans & salsa provide plenty!)
Stuff both bowl squash halves and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the rest of the cheddar cheese and bake till melted. Garnish with green onions. Serve with more salsa & sour cream if desired.
