Sausage and Kale Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Crisp, spicy sausage, juicy tomatoes, salty cheese, and buttery strands of squash — this satisfying dinner has it all, and it’s incredibly easy too. Cook a few spaghetti squash in your oven or Instant Pot; quickly sauté the sausage, cherry tomatoes, and kale; stuff it into the squash; top with Parmesan; and broil. If you prep your squash in advance (I highly suggest cooking them while you cook dinner the night before), dinner will be on the table in 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked spicy Italian sausage
1 bunch lacinato or flat-leaf kale (about 7 ounces)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) cooked, halved spaghetti squashes, warmed through
Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Instructions

Arrange a rack 12 inches from the broiling element and heat the oven to broil on high. Meanwhile, remove the casings from 1 pound uncooked spicy Italian sausage if needed. Strip the leaves from the stems of 1 bunch kale, then coarsely chop the leaves. Halve 1 pint cherry tomatoes. Finely grate 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the kale, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place 4 cooked spaghetti squash halves flesh-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Divide the sausage mixture between the squash halves. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Broil until the top is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired.