Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats

Looking for the delightful flavor of pizza without the guilt? These Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats are your answer! Made with delicious Natural Grocers Brand heirloom tomato marinara, spicy Italian sausage, and chewy-gooey melted mozzarella cheese, this recipe is the way to get all of the flavor and satisfaction of pizza, without the guilt!

4
2 organic spaghetti squash, (2½-3 pounds each)
4 Italian sausages
1 (25-ounce) jar Natural Grocers Brand Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce
Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt and Organic Ground Black Pepper
4 tablespoons Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
1 (6-ounce) package Natural Grocers Brand Organic Shredded Mozzarella
  1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
  2. Cut the ends off of the spaghetti squash to make a flat surface on each end. Stand the squash on the flat surface and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon until the centers are clean. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
  3. Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and cook the sausage until browned on all sides. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of sausage used: precooked will brown in about 7 minutes, uncooked will take longer. If using uncooked sausage, cook until browned and no longer pink on the inside. Once done, transfer to a cutting board, cut in half lengthwise, and then into horizontal slices approximately ½-inch thick. Place back in the skillet, reduce heat to low, and toss and turn to lightly brown all sides, about 4-5 minutes; turn heat off.
  4. About 5 minutes before the squash is finished baking, warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, until it is just starting to bubble along the edges of the pan.
  5. Remove the squash from oven, turn each squash over (skin-side down), hold with a hot pad (to protect from burning your hands) and loosen spaghetti strands using a fork by gently pulling the squash loose from the outside edges at the skin, moving downward to the bottom. Make sure all of the spaghetti strands are detached from the skin so that you can toss the spaghetti squash in the marinara sauce inside the squash “boat.” Repeat the process until all four spaghetti squash boats are ready.
  6. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each boat. Add about 1/2 cup marinara to each boat and use a fork to toss the squash in the sauce, coating the strands well. Add about 1/4 cup of mozzarella and equally divide the sausage among the four boats. Top with any remaining mozzarella and return the spaghetti squash boats to the baking sheet.
  7. Place in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.