Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling squash
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh (not precooked) mild bulk turkey sausage (out of the casing*) or use ground turkey
2-3 cups prepared marinara sauce, divided
2 large eggs, beaten (preferred) or ¼ cup arrowroot or 2 “flax eggs”**
Grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (optional)
To finish: fresh parsley or fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rub the inside of each half with a drizzle of olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Arrange cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until tender. DO NOT OVEROOK! Test them by inserting a fork between the flesh and the skin and try to rake the strands. Set aside cut-side up until they are cool enough to handle. Leave oven on if baking casserole immediately and RAISE TEMP TO 400°F.
Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Warm a large skillet over medium heat, and add the sausage and sauté, breaking up the meat into small pieces. Sauté until cooked through and browned slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining tomato sauce (use less or more depending on your taste) and bring to a simmer.
Using a fork, pull the strands of squash crosswise from the peel so that it resembles spaghetti.
Toss squash strands with the beaten eggs (or arrowroot) and then the turkey sauce and transfer to an 11 x 7 (thicker casserole) or 13 x 9 (thinner casserole) baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese if desired. Bake until firm and not mushy or watery, about 45-50 minutes. If you want to brown the top a little, you can broil it for a minute. This is a great make-ahead meal and even freezes well.
Notes
*If you can’t find bulk sausage, buy fresh sausage links and squeeze the meat from the casings. I prefer organic chicken or turkey sausage. OR buy ground turkey and season with ¼ cup sausage seasonings. **To make 2 flax eggs combine 2 Tbs. ground flax meal with 6 Tbs. warm water and let sit 15 minutes before adding to the squash. You can also omit the meat; or swap in 1 pound of COOKED lentils seasoned to taste with or without sausage seasonings, or 1 pound browned crumbled tempeh, or a high quality plant-based sausage product like No Evil. There are lots of options here.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/turkey-bolognese-spaghetti-squash-casserole-recipe/