Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the perfect way to add more veggies to your diet. The noodle-like squash is stuffed with a hearty meat sauce and plenty of cheese, and baked to perfection! 

Happy (Belated) New Year! Lots of people make New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier, so I figured why not kick off the year with a nutritious recipe?

I’m sure most people have heard of substituting spaghetti squash for pasta by now. Personally, I don’t think it tastes like pasta. But luckily, I LOVE veggies, and while I don’t think this is a “pasta” dish, I think it’s a super delicious veggie-filled meal! I was a little nervous to serve this to the hubby but– surprise of all surprises– he loved it! He talked about it for DAYS afterward.

Spaghetti squash are typically available year-round but they are especially plentiful and easy to find in the fall, which is perfect since this a great hearty cool-weather meal. It’s the perfect way to get veggies in when you don’t feel like summer salads anymore. You can remove the “spaghetti” from the skin after baking and serve it in a bowl, but I kind of like eating it straight from it’s own little dish.

Spaghetti squash can be hard to cut in half, so I like to use the microwave trick. Simply prick the squash with a fork a few times on the outside, then pop the entire thing in the microwave for about 4 minutes, turning it over halfway through. This will soften it up just enough to make it much easier to cut in half.

Traditional lasagna is typically made with ricotta cheese, and you can use that in here. But I love to mix it up and use cottage cheese instead. I think the texture pairs well with the spaghetti squash, and the saltiness of the cottage cheese adds a little extra flavor. But if you’re a ricotta lover you can definitely use that too.

This recipe has a homemade meat sauce in it, but if you want to save time you can cook the onion and meat, and then just add a jar of sauce to it. I love homemade when I have time, but also appreciate the easy way out sometimes! This Rao’s sauce is one of my favorites for a really fresh, homemade flavor.

These Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash are great as leftovers. The recipe makes 4 “bowls” of spaghetti. If you’re extra hungry (my hubby) you can probably eat a whole “bowl,” but I usually have about 3/4 of one. Just refrigerate them whole and pop them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes to reheat. A perfect easy lunch for later in the week!

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

 

Print

This Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the perfect way to add more veggies to your diet. The noodle-like squash is stuffed with a hearty meat sauce and plenty of cheese, and baked to perfection! 

Author: Flying on Jess Fuel

Recipe type: Dinner

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• for the squash:
• 2 small spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• for the sauce:
• 1 lb ground turkey or pork
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brush the insides of the spaghetti squash with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut-side-down on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the turkey or pork to the pan and cook, breaking it up into the onions, until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, paprika, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the basil.
8. Fluff up some of the inside of each spaghetti squash half and divide the the cottage or ricotta cheese between them. Top with the sauce and the mozzarella.
9. Broil in the oven until the cheese has melted and turned a light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.

3.5.3251