Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats with turkey Bolognese and mozzarella cheese. This low-carb dinner recipe is ideal for those times you’re craving filling comfort food without a big dose of carbs.
I first made this recipe for turkey bolognese stuffed spaghetti squash back in 2014, when my obsession for spaghetti squash was unparalleled.
This recipe, my Roasted Garlic Kale Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and my Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Mushrooms and Kale were on regular rotation for months.
These easy stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna boats include everything you need for a comforting, hearty meal that happens to also be relatively clean.
Inspired by traditional lasagna, the combination of Italian-inspired homemade meaty red sauce with spaghetti squash strands and gooey mozzarella cheese is just so satisfying.
One of my favorite parts about spaghetti squash in general and this recipe in particular is just how filling it is. A great source of dietary fiber, hearty spaghetti squash is a great low-carb alternative to regular spaghetti.
Does it taste like regular spaghetti? Absolutely not. However, the spaghetti-like strands pair nicely with a myriad of sauces and fresh ingredients, which makes spaghetti squash so versatile.
Plus, combining it with a high-protein sauce creates a balanced meal and ensures you stay full for hours.
For those times you’re craving meaty spaghetti but you want to keep the meal lighter or lower carb, these lasagna stuffed spaghetti squash boats are truly marvelous.
If this is your first time making spaghetti squash, no sweat. I have detailed instructions on how to prepare it in the recipe card. You can also follow my tutorial on How to Roast Spaghetti Squash.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this stuffed spaghetti squash recipe.
Ingredients for Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats:
Spaghetti Squash: The main ingredient in this easy low-carb dinner recipe. Spaghetti squash takes the place of regular spaghetti. It gets stuffed with delicious Bolognese sauce, then covered in mozzarella cheese for a delightful cleaner dinner recipe.
Ground Turkey: Lean ground turkey is my choice of meat for the red meat sauce. If you like a classic Bolognese with ground beef, feel free to make the switch.
Olive Oil: Used to sauté the onion and garlic and brown the meat, we need some olive oil. Avocado oil works here too.
Crushed Tomatoes: The tomato portion of our tomato sauce is simply canned crushed tomatoes. If you’re familiar with making homemade tomato sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes, feel free to do so.
Onion and Garlic: Fresh onion and fresh garlic bring bold flavor to the turkey Bolognese sauce. You can adjust the amount according to your personal taste.
Fresh rosemary, dried oregano, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, fresh basil: The seasonings and herbs we use here! I love this combination because it gives the sauce a fresh rustic flavor. If you’d like to use other dried herbs or fresh herbs, like fresh parsley, feel free to do so. You can also replace all of the seasonings with 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese gets sliced up and placed on top of the lasagna boats then broiled in the oven until it’s warm, golden brown and bubbly. Let’s face it: this is everyone’s favorite part of the recipe.
Looking to make changes to this low carb lasagna recipe? Here are some options.
Recipe Customizations:
- Use ground beef, ground chicken, or chicken sausage instead of ground turkey.
- Omit the mozzarella cheese for a dairy-free option.
- Use store-bought tomato sauce such as marinara sauce instead of making it homemade. Be sure to pick a jar of sauce you’ve used in the past and love!
- Use pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce.
- If you love ricotta cheese, feel free to dollop spoonfuls of ricotta over the sauce before adding the mozzarella. Cottage cheese works as a lower calorie replacement for ricotta as well.
Now that we’ve covered all the basics for this spaghetti squash lasagna recipe, let’s make this delicious healthy dinner recipe.
How to Make Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats:
Roast the Spaghetti Squash:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chop the tip and tail off of the spaghetti squash using a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Note: this process will be very difficult without the use of a sharp knife so be sure to use a knife that is already sharp or sharpen your butcher’s knife.
Cut carefully because squash likes to slip.
Drizzle a little olive oil over each half, and use your hands to spread it around, making sure all of the flesh is covered.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the spaghetti squash and place squash cut-side down on a large rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish.
Roast spaghetti squash for 35 to 50 minutes, until juices are seeping out and flesh is soft. The exact baking time depends on how large your spaghetti squash is and the level of doneness you like your spaghetti squash.
For al dente spaghetti squash noodles, bake for 35 to 40 minutes and for soft spaghetti squash noodles, bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, turn the squash face-up and set them aside.
Prepare the Turkey Bolognese:
In a large skillet, large deep sauté pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is very fragrant and has softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic, rosemary, oregano, paprika, cayenne, salt, and turkey meat. Continue cooking just until the turkey meat has browned slightly, but do not cook it all the way through.
Add the crushed tomatoes and bring sauce to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
Add the fresh chopped basil and stir well.
Taste the sauce for flavor – if desired, add more salt, or additional herbs/spices.
Prepare the Stuffed Spaghetti Squash:
Put your oven on the high broil setting.
Keeping the spaghetti squash halves face-up on the rimmed baking sheet, scoop your desired amount of turkey bolognese sauce into each half.
Cover the meat sauce with several slices of dry (or fresh) mozzarella cheese.
Place spaghetti squash on the center rack in the oven and broil until cheese has melted and begins to crisp up, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve stuffed spaghetti squash fresh out of the oven! For a real wild ride, grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the lasagna boats.
To eat this cheesy goodness, use a fork to dig into the boats. While the spaghetti squash shell is edible, I tend to discard it after eating the low-carb lasagna. I simply don’t enjoy the texture of squash shells.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For busy weeknights or special occasions alike, this simple yet belly-pleasing meal is a total win. Turn one of your favorite pasta dishes into a cleaner meal you can enjoy any night of the week.
This easy weeknight meal is perfect for meal prep and can be made several days ahead of time.
If you’re looking for more healthy spaghetti squash recipes, try out these reader favorites!
More Healthy Spaghetti Squash Recipes:
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti Squash with Chicken
- Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
- Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti Squash
- Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Creamy Tahini Spaghetti Squash with Kale
The best thing since sliced lasagna!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Spaghetti Squash:
- 2 spaghetti squash, halved, and roasted
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Dry mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
For the Turkey Bolognese:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 pound ground turkey meat
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
Roast the Spaghetti Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Chop the tip and tail off of the spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
- Drizzle oil over each half, and use your hands to spread it around, making sure all of the flesh is covered.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on the spaghetti squash and place them face-down on a non-stick baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until juices are seeping out and flesh is soft.
- Turn the squash face-up and set them aside.
Prepare the Turkey Bolognese:
- In a large saute pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium and add the chopped onion. Saute, stirring frequently, until onion his very fragrant and has softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, oregano, paprika, cayenne, salt, and turkey meat. Continue cooking just until the turkey meat has browned slightly, but do not cook it all the way through.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and bring sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the fresh chopped basil and stir well.
- Taste the sauce for flavor – if desired, add more salt, or additional herbs/spices.
Prepare the Stuffed Spaghetti Squash:
- Put your oven on the high broil setting.
- Keeping the spaghetti squash halves face-up on a baking sheet, scoop desired amount of turkey bolognese into each half.
- Cover with several slices of dry (or fresh) mozzarella cheese.
- Place spaghetti squash on the center wrack in the oven and broil until cheese has melted and begins to crisp up, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve stuffed spaghetti squash fresh out of the oven!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
I originally shared this recipe on October 8, 2014. I
Kristin
Wednesday 27th of April 2016
This recipe is miraculous!!! My Son who eats nothing. Not a fruit or Vegetable ate the whole thing!! It was delicious. I have never put paprika in sauce before very tasty!!! Thank you
Julia
Thursday 28th of April 2016
Yaaaaaaaaay!! I'm so happy to hear it! It's funny how picky eaters sometimes enjoy the healthiest of meals. I'm so glad you found a meal he likes and thanks so much for the feedback!
Amanda
Monday 9th of November 2015
Umm.. I found your blog because I was specifically searching for spaghetti squash bolognese, and I think I just fell in love with you. Definitely following! (or stalking, whatever you wanna call it)
Abigail
Tuesday 6th of October 2015
This recipe was so easy and delicious! We added extra mozz cause we're cheese heads, but even without the mozz it would've been delectable!! Definitely going to make this again, thanks for posting the recipe.
Julia
Wednesday 7th of October 2015
You got it, Abigail!! It's definitely a winner for me, too, especially since I love all thing spaghetti and lasagna-like, but don't eat gluten. Thanks so much for your sweet note! :)
Jeb
Friday 2nd of October 2015
This was fucking delicious.
Julia
Friday 2nd of October 2015
I'm so fucking happy to hear it! Thanks for letting me know, Jeb! xo
Julie
Friday 7th of November 2014
This was our dinner tonight. Made with a HUGE spaghetti squash (yes, from the same farmer that grows giant-ass beets). Anywho, it was delicious.I would like to say that it put me on the path to losing the extra 7 pounds that need to go away before spring, but because of the healthy squash vs pasta, I felt compelled to put on even more cheese than normal. Because, well, cheese. Hope your weekend goes well for you. xoxo
Julia
Saturday 8th of November 2014
GAH that farmer's market is so cool!! Thank you, thank you for making the recipe! I'm so glad you liked it! And the extra cheese is a must since as far as I'm concerned squash wins you negative calories...gotta fill the calorie tank somehow, may as well be cheese! ;) Hope you have a great weekend, momma!! xo