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SERVES: 8-10 | ACTIVE TIME: 25 MIN
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. Italian chicken sausage, no casing (ideally pasture-raised or organic)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 (~25 oz jar) marinara sauce
- 2 large butternut squashes
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (ideally organic)
- 4 cups spinach
- fresh basil or parsley for garnish
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- MAKE SAUCE: In a large skillet, brown the sausage in olive oil, breaking the meat up until fully cooked and browned, ~5-8 min. Add onion and cook until soft, ~2 min. Add 1 jar of marinara sauce and spinach. Simmer on low ~10 min.
- PREP SQUASH: Meanwhile, slice squash “neck”, the skinny part at top before you get to seeds, into 1/8″ thick rounds with a good sharp knife.
- MIX CHEESE: In a medium bowl combine ricotta and parmesan cheeses with oregano and salt.
- LAYER AWAY: In a deep 9×12 casserole dish spread 1 cup of marinara sauce (from the 2nd jar) on the bottom and layer rounds of butternut slices to cover. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top of squash, then top with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1 cup meat-spinach sauce.
- Add another layer of butternut rounds, followed by the other half of the cheese mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 cup sauce. Final Layer: slices of squash + remaining mozzarella.
- BAKE: Cook uncovered for ~50 minutes. Option to broil for ~3-5 until top is golden brown.
- Let stand ~5 – 10 minutes before serving. Finish with a healthy sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil.
