Nancy's Baked Spaghetti Squash

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. Even my two young sons love this dish, despite their aversion to all things vegetable! Delicious served with a green salad and crusty bread. This can also be frozen for up to a month. I often buy a large squash, double the sauce, and make a second batch to freeze. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 191 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• olive oil cooking spray
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (Optional)
• 1 slice bacon, chopped, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet and a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Pierce the squash halves with a fork and arrange, cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3

Bake squash in the preheated oven until a knife easily slices into the flesh, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove squash from oven and cool until cool enough to handle, at least 15 minutes.

Step 4

Place bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven; cook and stir over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving about 1 tablespoon drippings in the skillet. If the drippings don't equal 1 tablespoon, add olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.

Step 5

Cook and stir onion and garlic in the bacon drippings over medium heat until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes; season with salt.

Step 6

Slowly pour wine over the onion mixture and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon; add tomatoes and Italian seasoning, Season tomato mixture with black pepper. Cook and stir tomato mixture over medium-high heat until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 7

Shred the spaghetti squash meat using a fork, discarding the peel. Stir squash meat into tomato sauce until evenly incorporated; spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese over squash mixture.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Top cheese layer with bacon.