Craving the comfort of a pasta dish without the extra carbs? These Spaghetti Squash Boats are a flavorful, low-carb alternative, filled with a meaty marinara sauce, tender squash strands, and topped with melty mozzarella cheese.
If you’re new to cooking with spaghetti squash or simply looking for an easy, flavorful weeknight meal, these cheesy Spaghetti Squash Boats are the perfect place to start. Roasting the squash brings out its natural sweetness, while the combination of lean ground beef, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese provides a hearty, satisfying meal.
Spaghetti squash is lower in carbs than traditional spaghetti, making it a lighter dinner option that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Plus it's packed with nutrients, including, that will fill you up and keep you satisfied. For an added touch, you can serve this dish right in the spaghetti squash skins—keeping both the presentation and cleanup simple!
For more spaghetti squash inspiration, check out my Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole, Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash, or learn How to Bake a Whole Spaghetti Squash for even more easy and delicious ideas!
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- Low in carbs but packed with flavor.
- Perfect for meal prep and reheats well.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients from the grocery store.
- Can be customized with your favorite proteins and veggies.
- Kid-friendly and fun to eat- the whole family will love it!
Doctor's Tips
- Spaghetti squash is packed with nutrients like beta carotene, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.
- It's much lower in carbohydrates than traditional pasta, making it a great option for those looking to manage their blood sugar or reduce their carb intake.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredient list.
- Spaghetti Squash: Look for firm, heavy squash.
- Ground Beef: I recommend 93% lean ground beef, but feel free to substitute with ground turkey, ground chicken, turkey or chicken sausage, or even spicy Italian sausage.
- Dried spices: I keep it simple and season the meat with onion powder and garlic powder but you can use any seasonings you like such as Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano.
- Marinara Sauce: I use store-bought sauce for convenience but you can also make your own tomato sauce. I like Rao’s marinara sauce because it tastes great and is low in sugar.
- Mozzarella Cheese: I like a layer of melted mozzarella cheese on these spaghetti squash boats, but you can substitute grated parmesan cheese or even a dollop of ricotta cheese.
How To Make Spaghetti Squash Boats Step-by-Step
See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Step 1- Roast the spaghetti squash in the oven at 400°F for 40-45 minutes until tender. Let it cool. For a detailed tutorial, read my blog post on how to bake a whole spaghetti squash.
- Step 2- Make the meat sauce by browning the ground beef in a skillet with the dried spices, breaking it apart as it cooks. Stir in the marinara sauce and let it simmer.
- Step 3- Once the squash has cooled, use a fork to scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.
- Step 4- Mix the spaghetti squash strands with the meat sauce in the skillet.
- Step 5- Spoon the mixture into the empty squash halves.
- Step 6- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
Chef's Tips
- Spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut, but microwaving it for a few minutes softens the tough skin and makes slicing much easier! You can find a full guide to this in my post on How to Bake Spaghetti Squash, where I also cover simple tips on cutting spaghetti squash.
- You can boost the nutritional content of this dish by adding some veggies into the meat sauce like diced bell peppers, baby spinach, or mushrooms.
Recipe Variations
This Italian Spaghetti Squash Boat recipe is just one way to enjoy this versatile dish! Here are a few other variations to try:
- Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats: Swap the marinara sauce for taco seasoning. Mix in black beans, corn, and diced poblano peppers. Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, and cilantro for a delicious Mexican twist.
- Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats: Combine shredded chicken with buffalo sauce, then top with ranch or blue cheese dressing for a zesty version.
- Greek Spaghetti Squash Boats: Use ground lamb, kalamata olives, and feta cheese, then top with tzatziki for a Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats: Stir cooked, diced chicken into Alfredo sauce. Top the squash with the Alfredo mixture and bake until golden brown.
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Boats: Skip the meat and mix your favorite veggies into the sauce. You can add black beans, crumbled tofu or quinoa for protein.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover spaghetti squash boats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
Yes! Skip the meat and mix your favorite veggies into the sauce. You can add black beans, crumbled tofu or quinoa for protein.
Yes, although spaghetti squash provides those signature "noodles," you can use other winter squash like acorn squash or butternut squash for a heartier dish.
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Recipe
Spaghetti Squash Boats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium spaghetti squash
- 4 teaspoons olive oil divided use
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93% lean
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ cup marinara sauce (I use Rao's)
- Basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Wash the outside of the spaghetti squash and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. To make it easier to cut, you can microwave the squash first to soften it. To do this, place the raw squash on a cutting board. With a sharp paring knife, make several slits in the skin along the line where you will eventually cut it in half lengthwise. Place the squash on a plate and cook it in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, place it on the cutting board. Using a sharp chef's knife, cut it in half lengthwise along the slits you made with a sharp knife.
- Scoop out the seeds of the squash with a spoon. Brush the flesh with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven about 40-45 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and cool.
- While the squash is cooking, make the sauce. Heat the remaining 3 teaspoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid from the pan. Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer a few minutes longer.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh with a fork so that it forms spaghetti-like strands. Add the squash to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Spoon the mixture into the spaghetti squash halves. Top with shredded cheese. Return the spaghetti squash to the oven and cook until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, garnish with parsley or basil, if desired. Dig in!
Notes
- Spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut, but microwaving it for a few minutes softens the tough skin and makes slicing much easier! You can find a full guide to this in my post on How to Bake Spaghetti Squash, where I also cover simple tips on cutting spaghetti squash. You can also cook spaghetti squash in the air fryer.
- You can boost the nutritional content of this dish by adding some veggies into the meat sauce like diced bell peppers, baby spinach, or mushrooms.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
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