Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

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Stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna is one of my favorite easy ways to make a comforting pasta meal that won’t weigh you down! Similar to my eggplant lasagna and lasagna stuffed peppers, these spaghetti squash boats get smothered in meat sauce and cheese for bold flavor with a hearty dose of veggies — but they also have a beautiful presentation by serving them in the shells. If you like spaghetti squash, don’t forget to try my spaghetti squash casserole or my spaghetti squash pad Thai next.

What Is Stuffed Spaghetti Squash?

Stuffed spaghetti squash recipes take a halved spaghetti squash and load it with fillings — usually some combination of cooked meats, sauces, and cheese. Since this squash naturally creates pasta-like strands, it’s the perfect base for lasagna flavors!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for meat stuffed spaghetti squash, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Spaghetti Squash:

• Spaghetti Squash – Choose a medium spaghetti squash (about 4-6 pounds) with a firm exterior and minimal nicks. A large spaghetti squash would work as well.
• Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil, but any cooking oil you prefer will work.
• Sea Salt

Meat Layer:

• Olive Oil – For browning the meat. Other cooking oils, such as avocado oil, would also work.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic tastes excellent, but you can also use jarred minced garlic.
• Ground Beef – I typically use grass-fed 85/15 ground beef, but you can also substitute ground turkey, Italian sausage (with casings removed), or any ground meat you prefer.
• Marinara Sauce – Use a jarred marinara to save time, or make sugar-free marinara sauce with crushed tomatoes and a few other simple ingredients.
• Italian Seasoning – Get a pre-made mix at the store, or make homemade Italian seasoning.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Cheese Layers:

• Ricotta Cheese – A classic choice for lasagna! Any variety (whole milk, skim, etc.) will work. Cottage cheese would work as a substitute in a pinch.
• Parmesan Cheese – Use a grated variety to add more body to the cheese layers, but shredded also works.
• Olive Oil – Make the cheese mixture easier to combine with the squash.
• Sea Salt
• Mozzarella Cheese – For sprinkling on top of the spaghetti squash lasagna boats.

How To Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

This section shows how to make healthy stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Roast squash. Bake spaghetti squash like this. (You can do this on a baking sheet or in a baking dish.) Proceed to step 2 while squash bakes.
2. Saute garlic. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

3. Cook meat sauce. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned (a meat chopper makes this fast!). Stir in marinara and Italian seasoning and simmer until thickened slightly.
4. Prep cheese mixture. In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, parmesan, and oil. Set aside.

TIP: Use a large bowl for this step.

You’ll need one big enough to mix in the cooked spaghetti squash.

4. Combine. Remove spaghetti squash from the oven and use a fork to release the noodles. Transfer strands to cheese mixture and mix to combine. Season with salt to taste.

5. Assemble. Stuff squash mixture back into empty shells. Top with a layer of beef mixture.

6. Bake. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella onto the squash shells. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden. If you like garnish, with fresh basil or parsley.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep each spaghetti squash boat covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Meal prep: Prepare squash, sauce, and cheese layers separately and assemble when ready to serve. Alternatively, make the entire recipe and store individual portions in glass containers.
• Reheat: Heat leftovers in a 350 degree F oven, or in the microwave, until warm.
• Freeze: You can freeze this stuffed spaghetti squash recipe, but remove it from the “boat” first. Transfer spaghetti squash stuffing to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

What To Serve With Spaghetti Squash Boats

When you serve spaghetti squash stuffed, it tends to be a filling meal all on its own! But if you like, you can pair it with these easy sides:

• Chopped Salads – Try this dish with Italian marinated artichoke salad, Greek salad, Caprese salad, or chopped Mediterranean salad.
• Pan Cooked Veggies – Serve this meal with sauteed mushrooms or sauteed eggplant.
• Baked Veggies – Pair squash with baked ratatouille, cheesy yellow squash casserole, or oven roasted green beans.

More Healthy Pasta Recipes

Missing pasta? Get all the comforting flavor with real ingredients using these easy recipes.

Garlic Butter Steak Bites With Zoodles

Shirataki Noodles

Asian Kelp Noodles

Eggplant Lasagna

4.8 from 68 votes

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

Stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna boats are cheesy, healthy comfort food with simple ingredients and prep. Easy, healthy, and low carb!

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Total: 55 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

Convert:

US Customary – Metric

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Ingredients

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Spaghetti Squash

• 1 medium Spaghetti squash ▢
• 4 tsp Olive oil (divided) ▢
• Sea salt ▢

Meat Layer

• 1 tbsp Olive oil (divided) ▢
• 2 cloves Garlic ▢
• 1/2 lb Ground beef ▢
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper (or more if you like it spicy) ▢
• 1/2 cup Marinara sauce ▢
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning ▢

Cheese Layers

• 2/3 cup Ricotta cheese (whole milk or 2%) ▢
• 1/3 cup Grated parmesan cheese ▢
• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• Sea salt ▢
• 2/3 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Spaghetti squash

1. Cook the spaghetti squash in the oven at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C), according to the instructions here

   .

Meat Layer

1. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground beef. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook until browned (about 10 minutes), breaking apart the meat with a spoon or spatula.

2. Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes. If it's done before the squash is ready, cover to keep warm.

Ricotta Parmesan Cheese Layer

1. Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and a tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. (The bowl should be large enough to add the spaghetti squash strands later.) Set aside.

Assembly

1. When the spaghetti squash is done cooking, take it out of the oven, but leave it on at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).

2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise (if you cooked it whole and it is not cut yet). Place open side up onto the baking pan and use a fork to release strands.

3. Transfer the spaghetti squash strands into the large bowl with the ricotta and parmesan cheeses. Mix together. Season with sea salt to taste.

4. Stuff the spaghetti squash mixture back into the empty shells on the baking pan. Top with beef marinara mixture. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top. (If desired, you can create several thinner layers of each mixture, but I usually keep it simple with just one of each layer.)

5. Return the lasagna spaghetti squash boats to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 1/4 cups

Cook time above assumes the faster way of cooking the spaghetti squash (cut in half), and cooking the ground beef in parallel.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 354

Fat 24.7g

Protein 19.9g

Total Carbs 15.1g

Net Carbs 12.1g

Fiber 3g

Sugar 5.6g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keywords: spaghetti squash boats, spaghetti squash lasagna, stuffed spaghetti squash

Calories: 354 kcal

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