Easy Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce
This simple Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce recipe is delicious and so easy! The meat sauce comes together in a skillet while the squash bakes in the oven for a balanced meal loaded with nutrition. Perfect for when you want a lighter option than traditional spaghetti. 😊
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 small spaghetti squash
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped (or ½ large)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup basil, chopped
- 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided (you'll use half tablespoon for roasting the squash and 1 for the filling)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided (more to taste, you'll use half for roasting the squash and half for the filling)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided (you'll use half for roasting the squash and half for the filling)
- 1 teaspoon each: dried oregano and dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half widthwise. Scoop out the seeds. The skin is thick so be careful while cutting it! Place the squash cut side up on a baking dish or casserole dish. A rimmed baking sheet will work too. Coat the inside of the squash with ½ tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until the squash is fork tender.
- While the squash is baking, chop the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan or large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and mix until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground turkey, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and remaining salt & pepper to the pan and break apart the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add pasta sauce, boil, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer about 5 minutes.
- Add the spinach, parmesan cheese and half the mozzarella cheese. Give it a stir until the cheese melts and spinach wilts. Remove from the heat. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- When the squash is done roasting, loosen up some of the spaghetti squash strands with a fork. Fill the spaghetti squash halves with a generous amount of meat sauce mixture. Top with rest of mozzarella. Bake another 5-10 min until cheese melts and top with basil. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- To make the spaghetti squash easier to cut, microwave it for a few minutes before cutting it.
- If you prefer spaghetti squash boats, slice them lengthwise instead of widthwise. This will create shorter strands than the spaghetti-like strands created when you cut it lengthwise.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, use less marinara.
- Let the squash cool a bit after baking before mixing everything together.
- Choose a marinara sauce with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers of this spaghetti squash meat sauce recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat - reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet on low or medium heat.
For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊
Nutrition
Serving: 1 stuffed squash halfCalories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 34gFat: 28gFiber: 10g
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