Description
This 4 Cheese Roasted Garlic Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful vegetarian dish perfect as a comforting main or side. Roasted spaghetti squash is filled with a luscious blend of mozzarella, fontina, provolone, parmesan, fresh herbs, and spinach, finished with roasted garlic butter for an indulgent yet healthy twist on Alfredo pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese and Dairy
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or creamy gouda
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
Vegetables and Herbs
- 6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Seasonings and Oils
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling garlic
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C) to prepare for roasting the squash and garlic.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the milk or cream, thawed and drained spinach, chopped fresh sage, fresh thyme leaves, shredded fontina cheese, and shredded mozzarella or gouda. Season with red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir until well blended.
- Prepare Spaghetti Squash: Place the cut halves of the spaghetti squash in a baking dish, cut sides up. Season the inside with kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle half of the shredded provolone cheese evenly into the bottom of each squash half. Then pour the prepared milk/cheese and spinach mixture evenly into the hollowed squash cavities. Top with the remaining provolone cheese and the grated parmesan. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to retain moisture while roasting.
- Prepare Roasted Garlic: Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose some of the cloves. Place the garlic head on a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil to coat, and wrap it securely in the foil packet.
- Roast Squash and Garlic: Place the covered baking dish with squash and the foil-wrapped garlic on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil from both the squash and garlic. Continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes until the squash is tender and the cheese on top is golden brown.
- Make Roasted Garlic Butter: Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and allow it to cool enough to handle. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out into a bowl. Add the room temperature salted butter and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage to the garlic. Mash the garlic and butter together with a fork to create a smooth roasted garlic butter spread.
- Finish and Serve: Spread the roasted garlic butter over the hot roasted spaghetti squash. Using a fork, scrape the flesh of the squash into strands while mixing and combining the cheesy filling throughout. Serve warm and enjoy this creamy, flavorful stuffed spaghetti squash dish.
Notes
- If your spaghetti squash is larger than average, pre-roast it for 20-30 minutes before adding the cheese mixture to ensure even cooking.
- Thoroughly squeeze the thawed spinach to remove excess water; otherwise, the filling could become watery.
- You can substitute fresh herbs with 1 teaspoon each of dried sage and thyme if unavailable.
- Adjust seasoning with red pepper flakes and salt to taste for desired spiciness and saltiness.
- Use a light hand with the salted butter and adjust according to dietary preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (approx. 1 squash half)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
