Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is delicious, high in protein and lower in carbs. The squash is stuffed with a turkey bolognese sauce!
This is a go-to dinner for my fiancé and I every fall and winter. It's very easy to make, super flavorful and cozy! I'm sure it will become one of your go-to recipes as well.
The bolognese sauce is what I like to call "semi-homemade" because I use jarred marinara sauce, but added in some additional ingredients.
I used Primal Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. If you want to purchase the sauce for this recipe, head to www.primalkitchen.com. Use code "frozenbananas" at checkout for a discount!
Table of Contents
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Why you'll love Stuffed Spaghetti Squash:
- Perfect weeknight meal - All you have to do is cook the spaghetti squash, make the sauce and marry the two!
- Flavorful - The sauce is bursting with flavor from the additions of the garlic, onion, carrots, celery and seasonings.
- Each serving has about 34 grams of protein!
- Comforting - In the colder months, you probably crave soup. If you're like me, you get sick of soup after a while. This is the perfect switch up!
- Lighter than pasta - Spaghetti squash is lower in carbs and calories compared to pasta. I haven't NOTHING against pasta, but sometimes you want something on the lighter side.
Ingredients overview:
- spaghetti squash - The star of the show!
- jarred marinara sauce - I used Primal Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. If you want to purchase the sauce for this recipe, head to www.primalkitchen.com. Use code "frozenbananas" at checkout for a discount!
- garlic, onion, carrot and celery - These are the extras to upgrade the marinara sauce.
- ground turkey - You can use ground chicken or beef instead, if you'd like.
- unsweetened canned coconut milk - I add in a little canned coconut milk to make the sauce creamy. It's a great and healthier substitution for heavy cream.
- garlic powder, Italian seasoning salt & pepper - The perfect mix of seasonings!
- grated parmesan cheese - Because you can't do without some cheese.
- chiffonade basil - You need fresh! It makes such a difference.
How to make stuffed spaghetti squash?
A complete list of ingredients, amounts and instructions is located on the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out.
- Place the spaghetti squash halves face down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the squash at 375 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes, or until tender.
- Make the sauce as the squash bakes.
- Heat a skillet on medium with olive oil.
- Add garlic and onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Add carrot, celery, ground turkey and the seasonings and cook for 5-8 minutes. Break up the turkey into small pieces as you are sautéing.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Next, pour in the marinara sauce and coconut milk. Add 2-5 tablespoons of water to thin out the sauce. This will depend on the texture of the marinara sauce you’re using.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Once the spaghetti squash is cooked through, shred it with a fork.
- Evenly distribute the sauce into each shredded spaghetti squash boat. Sprinkle each with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Cooking times will vary slightly depending on the size of the squash you're using.
- Be careful not to add too much salt! You may not need much salt at all since we are using store bought sauce for this recipe.
- I don't recommend using 99% lean ground turkey or it will be very dry. I use 94% lean.
Dietary adaptations:
- gluten-free - This recipe is naturally gluten free.
- dairy-free - Don't add the parmesan cheese.
- vegetarian - Skip the turkey if you would like this recipe to be vegetarian.
- vegan - Omit the turkey and cheese if you would like this recipe to be vegetarian.
Always check the ingredients you're using to be sure they are compliant with whatever diet you need to stick to.
How to reheat stuffed spaghetti squash?
- First, store the stuffed spaghetti squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Then, reheat it in the oven or microwave until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do you soften spaghetti squash before cutting?
Since spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut through at times, poke slits in the squash's skin with a knife (poke along where you will slice the squash in half.) Now, microwave the squash for about four minutes. It should be easier to slice through once microwaved.
What is the easiest way to cut a spaghetti squash in half?
Place the spaghetti squash on a cutting board. Slice through it lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is delicious, high in protein and lower in carbs. The squash is stuffed with a turkey bolognese sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash - medium-sized
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons diced carrot
- 2 tablespoons diced celery
- ½ pound ground turkey
- 1 ½ cups jarred marinara sauce - I used Primal Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. If you want to purchase the sauce for this recipe, head to www.primalkitchen.com. Use code "frozenbananas" at checkout for a discount!
- ¼ cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out.
- Place the spaghetti squash halves face down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the squash at 375 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes, or until tender.
- Make the sauce as the squash bakes. Heat a skillet on medium with olive oil. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Add carrot, celery, ground turkey and the seasonings and cook for 5-8 minutes. Break up the turkey into small pieces as you are sautéing.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Next, pour in the marinara sauce and coconut milk. Add 2-5 tablespoons of water to thin out the sauce. This will depend on the texture of the marinara sauce you’re using. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Once the spaghetti squash is cooked through, shred it with a fork.
- Evenly distribute the sauce into each shredded spaghetti squash boat. Sprinkle each with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
Since spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut through at times, poke slits in the squash's skin with a knife (poke along where you will slice the squash in half.) Now, microwave the squash for about four minutes. It should be easier to slice through once microwaved.
Nutrition Facts
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Amount Per Serving
Calories 439
Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Sodium 530mg23%
Potassium 1521mg43%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 4103IU82%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 210mg21%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This nutrition information is an estimate and should not be taken as fact. The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
Tried this recipe?Tell me how it was!
Brittni
Another AMAZING recipe! The turkey bolognese sauce was soooo tasty. Especially loved the addition of carrots and celery - I never would have thought to do that. And the coconut milk...just a perfect recipe. It was exactly the warm, comforting meal I was looking for and it definitely earned a spot in the cold weather meal rotation. Thanks so much! 🙂
This comment makes me so happy because this is one of my favorite simple recipes! Thank you, Brittni! 🙂