harissa bolognese spaghetti squash

comfort food but crank up the veggies!

I don’t know about you, but all the good-bad Christmas books and movies I’m consuming, holiday parties I’m attending, and seasonal merriment has me in the mood for some super cozy comfort food. But I also know that my body and mind could use as many nutrient-rich veggies as possible right now.

Enter: this harissa bolognese spaghetti squash!!

I was planning to develop a one-skillet bolognese lasagna, but then I remembered the spaghetti squash I bought at the farmer’s market last weekend. This is basically the same exact concept, but with vegetables instead of pasta! The sauce soaks into the strands of spaghetti squash, so each bite is filled with flavor. Think of the spaghetti squash here less as a replacement for pasta (I love pasta!) and more as the perfect binder for a really great baked vegetable casserole.

Harissa in bolognese? YES. I got the idea from Ottolenghi, but simplified it by about a million steps without sacrificing any of the flavor. Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste that’s loaded with delicious spices and smoky flavor. It can vary in heat level — for example, Mina, a brand I love, sells both mild and spicy — so take note while you’re shopping (I usually go for mild). If you’re sensitive to heat, start with 2 tablespoons (or even 1, if you have a jar labeled “spicy”) and taste. Add more a teaspoon-ish at a time until it’s the perfect heat and flavor for you/your fam.

I also strongly encourage you to use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil here. Anytime you’re cooking a recipe like this one that uses as few ingredients as possible, the quality of those ingredients really makes a difference in flavor! Good-quality EVOO adds earthy, grassy, bright, and peppery notes, which blend so well with the harissa we’re using here.

High-quality EVOO is also richer in health-boosting antioxidants than cheaper store-bought options. I’ve said it before, but in case you’re new here, I wrote the recipes for Eat To Beat Depression and Anxiety, a book by Dr. Drew Ramsey, and throughout that process learned that the monounsaturated fatty acids in high-quality EVOO have also been found to reduce anxiety and depression. Ever since, I’ve been using my best EVOO literally anywhere I can.

If you follow me in IG you know that I’m really into Kosterina EVOO and that I’ve been gifting bottles of it left and right this month. The bottles are beautiful (their opacity helps keep the oil fresh for longer) and truly make the perfect gift for any neighbor, teacher, host, babysitter, father-in-law, sister, WHOEVER. I have a code — “CARO” — that will get you 15% off your next order.

While we’re on the topic of gifting … if you’re still shopping for others on your list, don’t miss my gift guides! I always look for gifts that are both practical and special, and we’ve got round-ups to cover all the kids and adults in your life. It includes all my tried-and-trues, and as many discount codes for you as I could get.

And for all of you who asked this week on IG: yes, you can gift a subscription to WTC! Click here to subscribe someone — you can schedule the first email to land in their inbox whenever you want it to — and print out a gift card to wrap up here.

One other update ICYMI: this week on So Into That I chatted with THE

deb perelman

, the brilliant cookbook author and recipe developer behind Smitten Kitchen, a food blog that I’ve loved and followed religiously since she launched it in 2006, and now the

the smitten kitchen digest

on Substack. In the episode, Deb shares what she cooks (or orders) when she doesn’t feel like cooking, her favorite drink at the moment, her approach to recipe development, and so much more. Listen to it while you’re holiday shopping, taking a walk, or cooking your harissa bolognese spaghetti squash!

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harissa bolognese spaghetti squash bake

Serves 4 to 6

Cook time: 1 hour