Spicy Italian Cucuzza Squash Bake

This healthy plant-based Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Squash Bake is an easy, savory recipe that's ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect for a Meatless Monday meal! It's a casserole made with fresh garden vegetables and is a comfort meal everyone will love!

Make this easy and delicious Italian vegan cucuzza squash recipe (aka as "gagootz") with fresh summer produce.

Spicy Italian Cucuzza Squash Casserole Bake

What is "cucuzza"?

It's a type of squash that grows on a long vine, typically in backyard gardens - which is where I got mine.

However, cucuzza squash is traditionally used in Italian dishes like this Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Squash Bake.

I made it with fresh vegetables + herbs like cucuzza, onions, tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic.

Because cucuzza squash grows in abundance, it can be challenging to find creative ways to use it.

Another quick and easy recipe my Dad shared with me is this Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew.

How To Make Spicy Italian Cucuzza Squash Casserole Bake: Step-By-Step Instructions

You'll love how easy it is to make this Italian squash recipe and I'll show you how below.

Before beginning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set aside an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Step 1: Prep the Veggies + Sausage

1. Cucuzza - Because cucuzza squash is usually extra-large in size, you may not need the entire piece. Start by cutting it in half, peeling the skin off and cutting into small cubes. 
2. Onions, Tomatoes + Jalapeno - Dice each of these into small pieces.
3. Vegan Sausage - Cut these into thin slices. You can use 2-4 sausage links, but I always use 4.

Step 2: Saute' the Veggies

Add the ingredients for the casserole to a non-toxic skillet and saute' them on low-medium heat.

After that, saute' the ingredients for about 10 minutes, or until the cucuzza and onions are soft.

Step 3: Assembly

Once the cucuzza and onions are soft, transfer everything into the prepared baking dish.

• Add in the sliced sausage, diced tomatoes and 1 cup of vegan shredded cheese.
• Stir everything together until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Sprinkle the additional 1 cup of vegan shredded cheese evenly over the top.
• Lastly, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese topping is melted and golden.

Expert Tips + Ingredients Substitutions for Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Bake

Authentic vs. Vegan. If you are new to cucuzza, it's a classic Italian recipe that uses Italian sausage and real dairy cheese.

I got this recipe from my Italian dad, who makes the authentic version with Italian sausage and real dairy cheese.

However, I adapted his recipe to this vegan version so my family could enjoy it.

If you don't need the recipe to be vegan, make these substitutions for a more authentic cucuzza dish:

• Substitute the vegan sausage with Italian sausage
• Substitute the vegan cheese with real dairy mozzarella shredded cheese 

Cucuzza. I've actually never seen cucuzza available in the grocery stores and get mine from my dad's home garden. But don't worry if you can't find fresh cucuzza - it can be substituted with zucchini or yellow squash.

Jalapeno + Red Pepper Flakes. When I want my cucuzza dish to be spicy, I add a jalapeno and red pepper flakes. If you don't like spicy food or will be serving this to children, you can reduce the amounts or omit.

Want More Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes?  

Check out these:

• Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup 
• Spicy Turmeric Twice Baked Potatoes 
• Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce
• or my CLEAN EATING Cookbook with over 75+ plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!

Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Squash Casserole Bake

This healthy plant-based Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Squash Casserole Bake is an easy savory recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect for a Meatless Monday meal! It’s a casserole made with fresh garden vegetables and is a comfort meal everyone will love!

{ Plant-Based | Vegan | Dairy-Free | Soy-Free | Nut-Free }

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Calories : 303

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• 4 cups cucuzza squash (peeled and cubed)
• 1 cup organic onions (diced)
• 3 cloves organic garlic (freshly crushed)
• 1 tablespoon 100% pure avocado oil
• 1/2 organic jalapeno (diced)
• 1/8 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes

For the add-in:

• 4 links "Field Roast" Vegan Italian Sausage
• 1 cup "Daiya" Vegan Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
• 1 cup organic tomatoes (diced)

For the topping:

• 1 cup "Daiya" Vegan Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Set aside an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Prep the veggies + sausage:

• Peel and dice the squash, then dice the onions, tomatoes, and jalapeno.
• Slice the sausage into thin pieces.

Prepare the casserole:

• Add all the ingredients for the casserole to a non-toxic skillet and saute on medium-low heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the onions and cucuzza are soft.
• Remove from heat and transfer to an 8 x 8 baking dish.
• Add the add-ins (vegan sausage, tomatoes, and mozzarella shredded cheese) to the baking dish and stir until everything is well combined.
• Sprinkle the mozzarella shredded cheese topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and golden.
• Store in an air-tight BPA-free container.

Notes

Cucuzza: Cucuzza is a member of the squash family so if you can't find any fresh cucuzza you can substitute with peeled and cubed organic yellow squash or even organic zucchini.

Onions: I like to use white onions in this recipe but you can use your favorite variety, except sweet onions, which I wouldn't recommend.

Tomatoes: I normally use the small organic roma tomatoes but any variety of tomatoes will work.

Avocado Oil: Can be substituted with organic extra-virgin olive oil.

Jalapeno + Red Pepper Flakes: I added this to make the recipe spicy, but if you don't like spicy food or will be serving this dish to children, you can reduce the amounts of each or omit.

"Field Roast" Vegan Sausage: Can be substituted with your favorite vegan sausage. Note that "Field Roast" Vegan sausage is not gluten-free so if you need the recipe to be gluten-free, make sure you use a gluten-free vegan sausage.

"Daiya" Shredded Cheese: You can substitute the "Daiya" brand with your favorite vegan shredded cheese. I prefer to use the "Daiya" brand because it does not contain soy, nuts and is gluten-free.

Optional Garnish: You can sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top as a garnish before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 580mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 124mg

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American

Recipe Author: Karielyn Tillman

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Karielyn Tillman

Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.