Spaghetti Squash Boats

Like stuffed zucchini or stuffed eggplant, these spaghetti squash boats are hearty and flavorful. The flesh of cooked spaghetti squash is a bit like noodles, which gives the Italian-style herbed beef and squash filling a fun texture. Squash is lower in carbs than wheat-based noodles, so it’s a great pasta substitute when you’re looking for a nutritional boost or when you’re feeding folks who can’t eat gluten.

Serve spaghetti squash and ground beef boats as a filling family meal, or slide ’em onto an elegant platter for a small dinner party. These are best served right out of the oven, while the melted cheese on top is nice and gooey.

Ingredients for Spaghetti Squash Boats

• Spaghetti squash: A relative of summer squashes like zucchini and winter squashes like pumpkins and butternut, spaghetti squash has a unique, stringy texture that is somewhat reminiscent of noodles.
• Ground beef: Ground beef is the main protein component of this dish. Since you’ll be draining the fat after cooking the beef, consider using a mix with a ratio of 90% lean to 10% fat.
• Onion: A yellow or white onion is the best choice for this dish, although a red onion will work in a pinch.
• Green pepper: Green pepper adds a nice crunch to the filling. However, a red, orange or yellow bell pepper could be substituted, though they will make the stuffing sweeter.
• Mushrooms: You can use button mushrooms in your spaghetti squash boats. But if you can find cremini mushrooms, those are even more flavorful.
• Garlic: The recipe calls for a single clove, but if you’re a garlic lover, feel free to use more.
• Dried herbs: Dried basil and oregano are major ingredients in Italian seasoning, so if you prefer, you can use that instead.
• Seasonings: Salt and pepper are used in small amounts when making the filling. Taste the filling before stuffing the squash halves, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
• Diced tomatoes: If you’re lucky enough to have fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmers market, you could dice those up and use them. If not, canned tomatoes will work just fine.
• Mozzarella: If you’re short on time, use pre-shredded mozzarella for this dish. However, grating cheese yourself is always a great idea. Bagged cheese is usually tossed with additives to keep it from clumping, which can affect how it melts.
• Fresh basil: For a boost of garden flavor, top your squash boats with fresh basil. If you have enough, you can add some to the filling, too.

Directions

Step 1: Bake the squash

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half the lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Fill the dish with 1/2 inch of hot water. Bake, uncovered, until the squash is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

Step 2: Scoop the squash

When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, separating the stringy strands with a fork. Set the squash shells and flesh aside.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t throw away the squash shells! You’ll use those later to make the boats.

Step 3: Make the filling

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, three to four minutes, stirring to break the beef into smaller crumbles. Drain.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for two minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook and stir for two minutes. Stir in the squash flesh. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: If you aren’t concerned about the fat content of the finished product, you can skip the draining step. Fat carries a lot of flavor, and it will have picked up even more from the onion and peppers.

Step 4: Fill and bake the boats

Stuff the filling into the reserved squash shells and place them in a shallow baking dish. Bake the spaghetti squash boats, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Sprinkle them with cheese, and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about five minutes longer. If desired, top them with fresh basil.

Sarah Tramonte for Taste Recipes

Spaghetti Squash Boat Variations

• Make it meatless: This dish can be recreated as a vegetarian entree by omitting the ground beef. Replace it with additional mushrooms, cooked white beans or chopped artichokes.
• Change the cheese: Mozzarella has a lovely texture when it melts, but its flavor is mild. For a bolder bite, replace part of the mozzarella with Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese—or a mix of all three.
• Give it a Tex-Mex twist: If you don’t feel like heading to Italy with your meal, this flexible dish can be reworked with ingredients from another region of the world. For some southwestern flavor, add black beans, season the meat with homemade taco seasoning and finish the boats with pepper jack cheese.

How to Store Spaghetti Squash Boats

Place the leftover spaghetti squash in a container with an airtight lid and store it in the refrigerator. I like to keep leftovers in glass containers, as the dishes won’t pick up food aromas over time.

How long do spaghetti squash boats last?

Until they sink? Just kidding! Keep spaghetti squash boats in the fridge for up to four days.

How do you reheat spaghetti squash boats?

One great way to reheat a spaghetti squash boat is to cover it in foil and heat it in a 350° oven until it’s warmed through. However, you can also reheat spaghetti squash boats in a microwave.

Can you make spaghetti squash boats ahead of time?

You can make these squash boats in advance and reheat them in the oven before serving. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge (for up to four days) until you’re ready to use them.

Spaghetti Squash Boat Tips

Sarah Tramonte for Taste Recipes

How else can you cook spaghetti squash?

To prepare the squash for this dish even more quickly, you can microwave spaghetti squash. Pierce the squash a few times with a fork and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave it for five minutes, rotate it, then microwave it for another five minutes. Let it sit for about five minutes or until it’s cool enough to touch. Then, prepare the squash boats as directed.

What else can you serve with spaghetti squash boats?

Because our spaghetti squash boat recipe leans on Italian flavors, I like to serve it with Mediterranean-leaning dishes on the side. Crisp Italian-style broccoli would be a good complement, as would pull-apart garlic bread, white beans and spinach or marinated mushrooms and artichokes.

Nutritionally, how does spaghetti squash compare to spaghetti?

According to the USDA’s nutrition database, one cup of cooked spaghetti squash has 76 calories and 9.7 grams of carbs, while a packed cup of cooked spaghetti has 239 calories and 46.7 grams of carbs. They have almost the same amount of fiber. Spaghetti squash is also higher in calcium, potassium, vitamin A and beta-carotene.