IN THE ROTATION: Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
An extremely flexible recipe that’s equal parts filling and light
I’m not sure why, but I’ve always really enjoyed eating a vegetable out of its natural container. I remember my mother making stuffed eggplants after one of our trips to the Jersey Shore, where inevitably, there would be a stop at a roadside vegetable stand. In those days, the selection was limited to corn, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant, but they were all very good—and I was a kid that actually liked eggplant. I guess those memories make the dish I’m sharing with you today a comfort food for me.
Of course, there’s a long tradition of stuffing and baking vegetables in Provençal cooking, and I’m no stranger to the technique either (I have a recipe for Arborio Stuffed Tomatoes in Veg Forward that you should try in August!). A dish has more presence somehow when it’s self-contained—it just makes sense. Presentation, humble as it is, is a no brainer, and it’s fun to eat too.
From fall until spring, you will almost always find a spaghetti squash on my counter. Since they last for weeks, if not months, just sitting out at room temperature, it’s a handy thing to have when you’re searching for dinner inspiration. And although I have a prescriptive recipe for you below, you can definitely wing it on this one. Feel free to use up whatever you have in your fridge and freezer—as long as you follow the basic procedure, it should work out just fine.
You can make this vegetarian, or add a little meat in the form of ground turkey or sausage. I’ve forgotten to add the meat a few times when making this, leading me to the conclusion that it really doesn't need it (and the recipe below does not include it).
That said, I do think a grain is important. It bulks up the mixture and makes it more fluffy and light. Leftover rice or a cooked grain both work perfectly. If I don’t have any on hand, I make a fresh pot, knowing I‘ll use it throughout the week. And did you know that cooked grains freeze really well? If I don’t think I’ll get around to using them before they turn, I just throw the container in the freezer.
This is the perfect thing to make when you need a dinner that can sit in a warm oven with no last minute kitchen magic. It’s ready when you are, and can even be assembled and baked later, or fully prepared and reheated. I also love that it’s filling and light at the same time. Every time we eat this, we say, “It’s so huge, I don’t know if I can eat it all!” But inevitably, we do.
Swaps and Subs
Instead of onions, use scallions or leeks
Instead of fennel, use finely chopped celery or leave it out
Instead of shiitake, use any other kind of mushroom
Instead of broccolini, use kale, Swiss chard, or escarole
Instead of marinara, use slow roasted tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes
For the grain, use freekeh, bulgur, quinoa, farro, or rice
Instead of fontina cheese, use any good melting cheese, like mozzarella, Gruyère, or havarti
Add some cooked beans or cubed firm tofu for extra protein
Add cottage cheese, ricotta, or goat cheese to the vegetable mixture
Brown some ground turkey or sausage before cooking the onions and set aside. Mix it back in at the end.
