This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna feeds your craving for lasagna without the pasta - it's a low carb gluten-free keto friendly recipe stuffed with rich flavor!
So it’s almost the end of 2018 and stuffed spaghetti squash is no longer this big deal trendy new recipe, but I still buy it all the time, especially when it’s in season in the fall. And one of my absolutely favorite recipes to make is this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna. I’ve been making it for years and this recipe is absolutely perfected now!
Back in like 2012/2013, this was one of the most pinned recipes out there…the idea of having the flavor of lasagna in a low-carb, gluten-free, diet-friendly disposable hot bowl of cheesy goodness was super sexy! I’m still super hot for this recipe…idc about the trends. Spaghetti squash lasagna will never go out of “style” for me. I’ll just create new ways to stuff it, mix it and top it.
How to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
I start with one or two spaghetti squash. There’s enough sauce to make 4 servings, but you can make half the sauce or freeze the rest if you only want to cook one squash. I remove the seeds using a spoon. I usually just throw them away because I don’t have the patience to clean them out and roast them. But I have roasted them before, and they turn out great!
I transfer the spaghetti squash to a rimmed baking dish and fill the dish with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Then I season the spaghetti squash with salt and pepper and flip it over. Flipping it over is essential because it allows the water from the pan to steam the squash and cook them perfectly!
This is what it looks like after baking in the oven for 45 minutes. This was a medium sized spaghetti squash. The larger ones will take up to an hour in the oven. You’ll know it’s done because it will feel tender when poked.
And this is the fun part! Honestly, it never gets old to tease apart the strands of the spaghetti squash. And now my kids join in on the fun too. When you pull it apart, it totally looks like spaghetti pasta. And I can’t get over that excitement hahaha!
The lasagna part of these spaghetti squash lasagna boats comes in the sauce. It’s basically my mom’s classic lasagna sauce that I’ll use between layers of the tender strands of squash. Most lasagna recipes have a layer of ricotta, but my mom never did this with her lasagna recipe, so there’s no cheese layer here, which is good for keeping the meal on the lighter side. But you can certainly add a layer or ricotta or low-fat cottage cheese or extra layers of whole or shredded mozzarella cheese.
I then maker 2-3 layers of the sauce, spaghetti squash and mozzarella cheese. If I’m in a hurry, I just throw all the sauce on top. Then I top it off with mozzarella cheese, that when broiled becomes melted, bubbly, golden mozzarella cheese.
If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash before, I urge you my foodie friends, to buy one this weekend at your grocery store, and try this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe. This is a great way to experiment with spaghetti squash. And before you know it, you’ll be experimenting with so many more pasta alternative recipes that use squash!
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
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I created this blog post first on October 31, 2017. I am updating it today to include improved new step-by-step images!
This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna feeds your craving for lasagna without the pasta - it's a low carb gluten-free keto friendly recipe stuffed with rich flavor!
- 2 spaghetti squash
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp basil
- 2 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parsley for serving if desired
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Season with salt and pepper, place cut side down in a baking dish with about 1 inch of water. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- You can also microwave it for 8-10 minutes if you prefer. Once it's fork tender, transfer to a cooling rack to cool off for a few minutes.
- In a large deep saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat and break it into smaller pieces with your spoon until cooked through.
Add onions and garlic; and season with oregano and basil. Saute the vegetables for about 5 minutes until they soften. Then, add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix to combine, bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
- When spaghetti squash is cool to the touch, use a fork to shred the inside of the squash, which will come out in strands that look like spaghetti.
- To assemble, remove half of the strands from each squash and set aside. Season the squash with salt and pepper, layer some of the lasagna sauce on top of the squash strands.
- Then add another layer of the strands previously removed, top with more lasagna sauce and finish with about 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place the stuffed squash back in the baking dish and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve as is in the squash, topped with parsley if desired.
Recipe Video
Storage:Â Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Make Ahead: You can make the 3 days ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook the spaghetti squash, just thaw the sauce and use normally in the recipe.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken if you'd like. You can also make your own marinara sauce or use store-bought sauce.
