Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Megan left a drawer of clothes at my apartment. Then she left a second drawer. Then her shampoo appeared in the shower and her books appeared on the nightstand and her coffee mug — the one that says "World's Okayest Teacher" — appeared in my kitchen. She is slowly colonizing my apartment and I am a willing territory.

We haven't talked about moving in together. We've been dating for nine months, which feels both forever and not long enough. But the apartment is small and two people in it makes it smaller, and there are mornings when we're both trying to use the bathroom at the same time and the kitchen at the same time and I think, we need more space. Or we need less stuff. Or we need to stop pretending we don't already live together.

February pierogi challenge: sweet potato and black bean with cumin. This one is a stretch. It's not Polish at all — it's Southwestern, basically — but the sweet potato gives a creamy sweetness and the black bean adds texture and the cumin ties it together. I wasn't sure about it. Megan loved it. The guys at the brewery were skeptical until they tried it and then they were less skeptical. Innovation requires courage. Also, cumin.

Valentine's Day is coming. I don't love Valentine's Day — it feels like a holiday designed to make guys panic — but Megan deserves something thoughtful and I'm going to deliver. I'm planning a dinner at the apartment: homemade pasta, a sauce I've been perfecting, candles, wine, the works. The kitchen is too small for romance but I'm going to try anyway because love is just trying anyway, over and over, in spaces that are too small.

Linda called to ask what I'm doing for Valentine's Day. I told her. She said, "That's good. Make sure you clean the bathroom." Mothers. They see through everything.

The sweet potato black bean pierogi were a hit — even the skeptics at the brewery came around — but when I started thinking about what to actually cook for Valentine’s Day in an apartment the size of a generous closet, I needed something that felt romantic without requiring a second oven or a third drawer. This spaghetti squash casserole has everything I love about that February challenge: it’s unexpected, it’s warm, it layers flavors in a way that surprises people, and it comes out of the oven looking like you really tried. Which, as it turns out, is the whole point.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 55 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs), halved lengthwise and seeded
1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup marinara sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

Roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the cut sides of the spaghetti squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 35–40 minutes, until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Remove and let cool slightly.
Shred and drain. Using a fork, scrape the squash flesh into spaghetti-like strands. Transfer to a colander lined with paper towels and press gently to remove excess moisture. This step keeps the casserole from turning watery — don’t skip it.
Brown the sausage. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook another 2–3 minutes until softened.
Build the sauce. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Combine the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Add the drained squash strands to the skillet and stir to combine with the meat sauce. Dollop the ricotta over the top in spoonfuls, then sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
Bake. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 18–22 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Finish and rest. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes under the broiler until golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spaghetti Squash Casserole — A Warm, Worthy Dinner for the Woman Taking Over Your Apartment