Why This Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Works So Well 🎯

This recipe has amazing balance:

Spaghetti squash gives you that pasta-like strand texture with fewer carbs and more nutrients 🎃
Spicy Italian sausage brings big savory flavor and a little heat 🌶️
Spinach adds color, nutrition, and a bit of earthiness 🌿
Apples (one green, one red) add sweetness and a hint of tart crunch 🍏🍎
Pepper jack + cheddar melt into a gooey, slightly spicy, cheesy topping 🧀

The result is a meal that’s:

Satisfying like a loaded pasta bake
Beautifully presented (everyone gets their own stuffed “bowl”)
Great for meal prep or leftover lunches
Flexible — easy to tweak for spicy, mild, cheesy, or veggie-heavy preferences

Ingredient Breakdown 🧺

Let’s walk through each ingredient and add some practical notes.

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Spaghetti Squash 🎃

2 medium spaghetti squashes

Spaghetti squash is the star. When roasted, the flesh turns into noodle-like strands that you can fluff with a fork.

Two medium squashes = four halves = four generous servings.
Look for squash that feel heavy for their size and have firm, unblemished skin.

Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper 🫒🧂

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

You use olive oil in two places:

Drizzled over the squash before roasting
In the skillet for sautéing sausage and veggies

To make this clearer and accurate, it’s helpful to think of it as:

👉 2–3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
– About 1–2 tbsp for the squash
– About 1 tbsp for the skillet

That way, you’re not short on oil when cooking the sausage and spinach. Salt and pepper are added to the squash and can also be used to adjust seasoning in the stuffing if needed.

Spicy Italian Sausage 🌶️

16 oz spicy Italian sausage, crumbled

This brings:

Protein
Rich, savory flavor
A spicy kick

You can use:

Bulk sausage (no casing)
Or remove sausage from casings if buying links

If you prefer milder, you can substitute mild Italian sausage and add a pinch of red pepper flakes for controlled heat.

Seasoning 🌿

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence

Tiny correction: it’s commonly called Herbes de Provence, but your meaning is completely clear, and this option is great.

Italian seasoning will lean into oregano, basil, thyme.
Herbes de Provence typically includes thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sometimes lavender for a more floral note.

Either one adds nice aromatic depth without complicating the recipe.

Spinach 🌱

10 oz spinach

This is usually:

One standard bag/box of fresh spinach
Or you can use frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed very dry)

It cooks down a lot — what looks like a mountain becomes a gorgeous green layer in your stuffing.

Apples 🍏🍎

2 apples (1 green, 1 red), cored and chopped

This is such a fun twist! The apples bring:

Sweetness
Crisp texture
A bit of tart pop from the green apple

The combination of one green + one red is nicely balanced. Chop them into small pieces so they mix well and soften slightly while cooking and baking.

Cheeses 🧀

4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

You get:

Pepper jack: creamy with a gentle spicy kick
Cheddar: sharper flavor and classic cheesy richness

Using both gives a more complex and satisfying cheese layer. 4 oz each is about 1 cup loosely packed shredded cheese.

Step-by-Step with Extra Tips 👩‍🍳

Your instructions are already clear and correct. I’ll walk through them with more detail and tiny clarifications.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash 🎃

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

400°F (about 200°C) is perfect for roasting spaghetti squash so it caramelizes slightly and becomes tender.

Parchment paper:

Prevents sticking
Makes cleanup way easier

Cut the squashes in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibers.

This can be the trickiest part because spaghetti squash is firm.

Optional: For easier cutting, microwave each squash for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Make several large slits in the squash before microwaving.

This is an excellent safety tip:

Always make slits first so steam can escape in the microwave.
5–10 minutes softens the outer flesh, making it easier and safer to slice.

Once halved, scrape out the seeds and stringy center with a spoon, just like you would with a pumpkin.

Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides and insides of the squash halves. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Rub the oil in so it evenly coats the flesh. A generous pinch of salt and pepper per half is ideal. This is your chance to season the “pasta” part of the dish.

Place the squash halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Cut-side down:

Helps the edges caramelize a bit
Traps steam inside, which helps cook the squash evenly

Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the flesh is tender and easily shreds with a fork.

Check at around 30 minutes:

The squash should give slightly when pressed with tongs.
When you flip a half and scrape with a fork, the flesh should form long, spaghetti-like strands.

If it still feels hard, give it another 5–10 minutes.

Make the Stuffing 🍳

While the squash is roasting, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.

Here’s where that “divided” olive oil comes in — use about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.

Add the crumbled sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until browned. Drain any excess fat.

Break up the sausage with a spatula as it cooks into small crumbles. Wait until:

It’s no longer pink
It has some browning — that’s flavor 🔥

Drain off excess fat so the stuffing doesn’t get greasy.

Stir in the Italian seasoning.

Mix it into the sausage so it toasts slightly in the residual heat and releases its aroma.

Gradually add the spinach to the skillet, cooking until wilted.

Spinach cooks down a lot:

Add a handful at a time
Stir as it wilts
Keep going until all 10 oz are in and wilted

You’ll be left with a beautiful, sausage-and-spinach mixture.

Mix in the chopped apples with the sausage and spinach mixture.

Stir in the apples last:

They’ll start to soften slightly in the warm mixture
They’ll finish cooking in the oven, keeping some texture and sweetness

Taste at this point and add a bit of salt and pepper if needed (keeping in mind sausage is often already salty).

Stuff the Spaghetti Squash 🎃🧀

Once roasted, remove the squash from the oven and flip the halves so they’re cut-side up. Allow to cool slightly.

Let them cool for a few minutes so they’re easier to handle. You can place a kitchen towel under the baking sheet for stability.

If you like, you can gently scrape the squash with a fork to loosen the strands while they’re still in the shell — this helps the filling nestle into the “noodles.”

Evenly distribute the sausage, spinach, and apple mixture among the squash halves.

Divide the stuffing into four portions and pile it into each squash half. Try to push it down slightly so it’s stable and well mixed with some of the squash.

Top each half with equal amounts of shredded pepper jack and cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle the cheese generously on top. As it bakes:

It melts into the stuffing
Forms a golden, bubbly top layer

Return to the oven and bake at 400°F for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

15 minutes is usually enough for:

Cheese to fully melt and bubble
Flavors to meld together

If you like a more browned top, you can broil for 1–2 minutes at the end — just watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

Serving, Variations & Storage 🍽️

How to Serve

Serve each half as a generous main dish. You can also:

Split a half in two for smaller portions
Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh herbs if you want a pop of green 🌿

It’s hearty enough to be a full meal, but if you want sides:

Simple green salad
Garlic bread
Roasted veggies

Variations 💡

Milder Version: Use mild Italian sausage instead of spicy.
Veggie-Heavy: Add mushrooms, onions, or bell peppers to the stuffing.
Lower Dairy: Reduce cheese or use part-skim cheese; the squash and sausage still carry the dish.
Vegetarian: Swap sausage for a plant-based Italian sausage or a mix of mushrooms and lentils (just keep the seasoning strong).

Storage & Reheating

If you have leftovers:

Store cooled stuffed squash halves in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, or in the microwave for a quick option.

The squash reheats very well, and the flavors often deepen by the next day 😋