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My Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Tastes Like Lasagna
I’ve made stuffed spaghetti squash in many different ways over the years, but so far this is my absolute favorite. It’s saucy, cheesy, and comforting in a way that feels like a cozy fall hug. I first made this recipe when I was craving lighter lasagna, and here’s why I keep coming back to it:
- Cozy lasagna flavors – These spaghetti squash boats have rich meat sauce, creamy cheeses, and melty topping a lot like the eggplant lasagna and zucchini lasagna I make in the summer, but with the cool weather vibes of winter squash.
- Weeknight easy – This recipe uses common grocery store ingredients, and I love that I can make the other components in parallel while the squash roasts. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough to serve guests.
- Light, one-dish meal – I often serve this stuffed spaghetti squash all by itself! It’s hearty enough, yet lighter and lower carb than actual pasta. If you want something extra, I recommend my Italian-inspired artichoke salad or Caprese salad on the side.
If you’re looking for a tasty, family-friendly way to turn spaghetti squash into a full, protein-packed meal, this recipe is perfect. Make it with me!
Reader Review
“Easy, delicious, and very filling! I loved it so much, I have shared it with friends. I layered the filling, too. Turned out wonderful. Thank you.” –Jennifer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my stuffed spaghetti squash recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Spaghetti Squash – I based my recipe on a medium one, around 4–6 pounds. Larger or smaller ones work too, you just might want to scale the meats and cheeses up or down a bit.
- Ground Beef – I use grass-fed 85/15 for a balance of flavor and juiciness, but any kind works. You can also swap in ground turkey, chicken, or even Italian sausage.
- Marinara Sauce – Feel free to use your favorite jarred sauce (this is mine) or use my homemade marinara sauce recipe. I’ve even made this stuffed spaghetti squash with leftover marinara from a restaurant. You can also just use a can of diced tomatoes.
- Cheeses – I use a blend of ricotta and grated parmesan for that creamy lasagna feel, and shredded mozzarella for a melty topper. Provolone or even Italian cheese blend works nicely on top. I also used blended cottage cheese instead of ricotta once when I wanted extra protein.
- Garlic – I prefer fresh for the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic works to save time.
- Italian Seasoning – My homemade blend has oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram and sage. Feel free to toss in these dried herbs individually or just grab a store-bought blend.
- Olive Oil, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper
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How To Make Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cook the squash halves. Cut the squash in half with a sharp knife, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. I roasted spaghetti squash in the oven this time, but feel free to microwave your spaghetti squash if you’re short on time.
- Make the meat sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned. Finally, stir in the marinara and Italian seasoning, and simmer until thickened.
- Mix the cheese layer. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, and a splash of oil. When the squash is done, use a fork to release the strands and mix them right into the cheese mixture. Season with salt to taste.
- Assemble and bake. Spoon the cheesy squash mixture back into the shells, top with the meat sauce, and sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden. I like to garnish my stuffed spaghetti squash with basil or parsley.
My Recipe Tips
- You can cut the squash lengthwise or crosswise, and it makes a difference. Cutting lengthwise (like I did here) will make more stable stuffed spaghetti squash boats, but the strands will be shorter. Cutting crosswise will get you longer spaghetti-like strands.
- To get spaghetti-like strands, scrape the squash with a fork, not a spoon. The tines naturally pull it into noodle-like pieces. If you use a spoon, it just scoops and mashes the flesh.
- If your squash strands seem watery, let them sit in a colander for a few minutes or pat dry with a paper towel. It keeps the final dish from turning soupy.
- When stuffing the shells, don’t pack the squash mixture down too firmly. Keeping it loose gives the lasagna layers better texture.
- You can also make multiple layers of squash, meat, and cheese. This is closer to a lasagna vibe, but I usually keep it simple with just one of each layer.
- Feel free to add other veggies, just cook them first. I’m partial to cooked spinach, broccoli, caramelized onions, or sauteed mushrooms with the flavors in these spaghetti squash boats.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
By
My stuffed spaghetti squash boats are cozy, cheesy, and low carb, with layers of beef marinara, creamy ricotta, and melty mozzarella.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Spaghetti Squash
Meat Layer
Cheese Layers
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Spaghetti squash
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cook the spaghetti squash in the oven like this.
Meat Layer
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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.
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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.
Cheese Layer
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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
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When the spaghetti squash is done cooking, take it out of the oven, but leave it on at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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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.
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Transfer the spaghetti squash strands into the large bowl with the ricotta and parmesan cheeses. Mix together. Season with sea salt to taste.
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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.)
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Return the lasagna spaghetti squash boats to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 1/4 cups
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you cook your squash perfectly, get the best texture, and a couple different ways to assemble this stuffed spaghetti squash.
- Storage: I keep leftover spaghetti squash boats covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: You can cook the squash, meat sauce, and cheese mixture ahead of time and assemble later. Or sometimes I make the whole recipe and store portions in glass containers for easy lunches.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F, or in the microwave.
- Freeze: This stuffed spaghetti squash recipe freezes well, but I recommend removing it from the shells first. Pack the filling into a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Note on timing: I based the cook time on cutting the squash in half before roasting and making the meat sauce while it bakes.
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Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
130 Comments
Kittie
0First time making spaghetti squash , I tweaked it by using Italian sausage and spaghetti sauce. I left out the ricotta cheese and put the mozzarella cheese on top. It was delicious! Will be making again. It’s a hit with my husband.
Mari
0Absolutely amazing! Tweaked it bit. I’ll be making this on repeat!!
Trish
0Excellent recipe I tweaked it a bit, added mushrooms and red pepper to it, and my own Marinara sauce, but really good.
Suekittysue
0This was amazing! I will definitely make this again!
Mary Sutherland
0Fantastic recipe! Didn’t have ricotta so substituted goat cheese….omg
eve
0I love many of your recipes and this one is no exception! Very very good! Sadly, all the pop ups made it extremely difficult and time consuming to leave a review so I probably won’t review your other recipes.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Eve, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Maxine
0How do you serve this? Cut up the squash or scoop out and serve?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Maxine, You can scoop it out of the shell and serve.
Donna
0I made it with turkey Italian sausage. I ended up using a cup of marinara because I used a little more meat. I followed the recipe exactly other than those two things. Turned out so delicious. It’s hard to believe it was low carb! So good. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks!
Kellie H
0OMG….I can’t even tell you how much we loved this recipe. So easy, fresh and healthy but tasted like a cheat day meal.
Julia
0It’s spaghetti squash boat time of the year!!! Love this guilt free dish! Super easy to make and very satisfying!
Journa Liz Ramirez
0One of my favorite comfort food! I loved the cheesy flavor. I’m definitely making this again.
Laura
0Wait! Does this recipe serve 6?! With one spaghetti squash? That doesn’t make sense or I’m mistaken and this is a tiny side dish.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Laura, Each serving is 1 1/4 cups of spaghetti squash.
Dotty
0I make this every 2 weeks or so. It’s a favorite. I use keto tomato sauce and it wonderful. I will sometimes sneak in so spinach under the sauce and it doesn’t hurt it at all. Thanks for the recipe!
Julie Severin
0Absolutely delicious! I did not have ricotta cheese or parmesan cheese. So, I improvised by using what I had on hand. I used whole milk cottage cheese, and asiago cheese.
Michille Stocket
0Delicious!! I will make it again.
LaDonna
0Awesome recipe!!!
Simon
0One of our favorites. Easy, delicious, and healthy. Thank you.
Willowa
0Very good and healthy
Gena Bader
0Amazing! Made it with vegetarian crumbles for me ( meat for the hubs) other than that followed recipe exactly. So satisfying and filling. Definitely making it again. Your recipes are so good and easy too. Thank you!
Autumn Dancer
0Great recipe. Easy to follow and a big hit with the hubby!