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Here to prove that delicious and cheesy comfort food can, in fact, be healthy: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna. It has all the characteristic lasagna comforts that we desire—the stretchy cheese, the chunky, hearty red sauce, the load-up-your-fork and think-happy-thoughts appeal—but is lightened up enough to be a healthy weeknight meal.

Healthy and low carb spaghetti squash lasagna

I came up with this easy spaghetti squash recipe when I was testing out Crockpot Spaghetti Squash. We had an unusually high number of cooked spaghetti squash halves hanging out in our refrigerator awaiting their purpose.

Over the years, stuffed spaghetti squash recipes have become one of my favorite ways to serve this delightful little squash, especially these Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats and these Spaghetti Squash Boats with Chicken.

Squash boats are incredibly filling, endlessly customizable, and taste ultra comforting, all while making it easy to sneak in your servings of veggies.

The inspiration for this spaghetti squash recipe came when I was craving warm Italian food, which always seems to hit the spot. I decided to try making lasagna with my extra baked spaghetti squash halves.

As you dig your fork into this recipe, you’ll find the components of classic lasagna, with one noticeable departure. Once you taste it, my very astute hunch is that you won’t mind the change one bit!

Spaghetti squash halves on a baking sheet

Reasons to Make this Easy Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Rational human that I am, I do love myself a big plate of carb-loaded pasta, but in the case of this spaghetti squash lasagna with meat sauce, we truly did not miss the noodles one bit.

I adored the fact that I was eating something that tasted deeply comforting but was, in fact, largely made of vegetables.

  • It’s Low Carb. Making lasagna with spaghetti squash strands instead of noodles also means that this recipe is low carb. (If you’re looking for another noodle-free lasagna dish, try my Eggplant Lasagna or Zucchini Ravioli)
  • It’s Quick. No noodles means no time-consuming layering. Where lasagna is typically a labor of love, these spaghetti squash lasagna boats are fairly quick on the prep end, especially if you cook the spaghetti squash in advance.
  • Eating Spaghetti Squash is Good for You. Yes, spaghetti squash is healthy! While low in carbs and calories, spaghetti squash is also packed with fiber, vitamin C and B6, and antioxidants. It also contains high amounts of the mineral, manganese, which is important for overall bone health.

How to Make Lasagna with Spaghetti Squash

OK, so “lasagna” might be a bit of a generous use of the term considering everything is stuffed inside the spaghetti squash halves instead of layered separately in the pan. If that’s the style of recipe you are looking for, you can check out this Spaghetti Squash Casserole, but I’m standing by this one too.

The Ingredients

  • Spaghetti Squash. The star of this show! Once cooked, the texture will resemble cooked pasta noodles. Plus, we’ll use the spaghetti squash skin as a “bowl” of sorts to hold all the ingredients together.
  • Ground Turkey. I opted to make this spaghetti squash lasagna with ground turkey to keep it lean, mean, and protein rich. If you prefer, you can make the spaghetti squash lasagna with chicken or lean ground beef. For a vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna, see tips in the “Recipe Adaptations” section below.
  • Easy Red Sauce. To keep the recipe quick and easy, I applied one of my favorite shortcuts and used good-quality store-bought pasta sauce instead of making tomato sauce 100% from scratch. For a boost of flavor, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and a splash of red wine vinegar. By the time the sauce simmers on the stove, no one will be the wiser, and you’ll appreciate the time savings.
  • Creamy Ricotta Filling. Classic, flavorful lasagna goodness. Or if you a) grew up in the Midwest or b) are curious about our Midwestern ways, you can try spaghetti squash lasagna with cottage cheese instead of the ricotta.
  • Frozen Spinach. I love spaghetti squash lasagna with spinach for an extra serving of healthy veggies and a burst of green. No need for fresh spinach here—in lasagna, there’s little taste difference, and frozen is equally nutrient rich, more convenient, and less expensive than fresh.
  • Melty Cheese. Mozzarella is classic, but I prefer something with a little more oomph like fontina or smoked provolone.
  • Parmesan. Salty, nutty, and a lasagna necessity.
Spaghetti squash halves being made into lasagna

The Directions

  1. Cook the squash. You can cook the spaghetti squash in the oven or try my slow cooker method.
  2. While the squash bakes, heat oil in a skillet, and add turkey and seasonings. Stir and cook until browned. Add the garlic. Stir in the pasta sauce and vinegar.
  3. Once the squash is baked, fluff the squash to separate the strands.
  4. Place the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta filling ingredients. Stir to combine. Add spaghetti squash strands to the bowl. Stir to combine, then place the squash halves cut side up on the baking sheet.
  5. Fill the squash: Add the ricotta filling, then top with tomato sauce, and cheese. Bake until heated through.
  6. Brown the top (optional): Turn the oven to broil. Broil the squash until bubbly and browned. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and ENJOY!

How Do I Cut a Spaghetti Squash?

In order to make baked spaghetti squash recipes, we need to first cut our spaghetti squash into two halves.

  1. Grab a sharp knife, and make small incisions along the side of the squash where you plan to cut it.
  2. Now, microwave your squash for about 5 minutes. Let cool until it’s no longer too hot to touch.
  3. Lay your squash on a cutting board, and slice off the stem. Then, cut along the line of incisions you made earlier.
  4. Once cut in half, use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the seeds from the inside of your halves.

How to tell if spaghetti squash is bad: when you slice your spaghetti squash in half, the color should be bright and yellow. If you see any discoloration or the texture is mushy, the squash is bad.

Cheesy stuffed vegetables with meat and sauce

What Does Spaghetti Squash Taste Like?

  • Once cooked, spaghetti squash will taste like a firm-but-soft noodle with just a tiny hint of sweetness.
  • The taste of spaghetti squash is very mild, which is why it makes a great substitution for pasta in many recipes.
  • The mild taste of spaghetti squash also makes spaghetti squash recipes like this one especially kid friendly.

Recipe Adaptations

  • To Make Gluten Free. Make sure you are using a gluten free pasta sauce.
  • To Make Vegetarian or Vegan. For those needing vegetarian or vegan spaghetti squash recipes, omit the meat entirely. You could try swapping it for sautéed mushrooms instead. For extra protein, you can also add a can of rinsed and drained white beans.
  • To Make Keto. While I’m not a keto diet expert, spaghetti squash is typically very keto-friendly, depending upon your serving size. For keto spaghetti squash recipes, you could always use a smaller squash and supplement with additional sauce to suit your needs.

How to Store, Reheat, Freeze Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

  • To Store. Place cooked and cooled lasagna in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through. You can also reheat leftovers on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave until warm.
  • I do not recommend freezing this dish, as frozen spaghetti squash tends to become mushy and watery once thawed.
    • You can freeze leftover sauce separately and use it to top pasta or freshly baked spaghetti squash later.
Two spaghetti squash halves made like lasagna

What Goes with Spaghetti Squash?

With its built-in servings of protein and veggies, this recipe is certainly capable of acting as a standalone, all-in-one meal, but here are a few ideas of what to serve with it:

WELL PLATED COOKBOOK UPDATES

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

4.94 from 30 votes
Healthy Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with ground turkey, spinach, and ricotta. All the comforting flavor of lasagna, made easier and low carb!

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 4 –6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium spaghetti squash
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar good-quality tomato pasta sauce I like roasted garlic or tomato basil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 (10-ounce) pack frozen spinach drained and pressed as dry as possible
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or low-fat 1% or 2% cottage cheese
  • 1 cup shredded fontina, mild provolone, mozzarella, or similar melty cheese divided
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast the spaghetti squash according to this recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash.
  • While the squash is baking, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add the turkey, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook, breaking apart the meat into small pieces, until it is fully cooked through and browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the pasta sauce and red wine vinegar. Let simmer 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
  • Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to separate any large clumps. Add the ricotta, 1/2 cup fontina, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir with the fork to combine. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to fluff the insides into strands and add the strands to the bowl. With the same fork, stir to combine, evenly distributing the ingredients as best you can. Return the squash halves to the baking sheet, cut sides up.
  • Fill the squash: Pile the ricotta/squash filling evenly into each of the four halves. Top with tomato sauce, remaining shredded cheese, and Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is fully heated through and the cheese is melty, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Brown the top (optional): Turn the oven to broil. Broil the squash until the cheese is extra bubbly and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Watch it carefully, and do not walk away so that it doesn't burn. Sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • TO STORE: Place cooked and cooled spaghetti squash lasagna in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through. You can also reheat leftovers on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave until warm.
  • Depending upon how much sauce you like, you may have extra. You can freeze the leftovers or use them later in the week over pasta or on spiralized noodles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4Calories: 555kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 48gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 125mgPotassium: 967mgFiber: 8gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1283IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 551mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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75 Comments

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  1. Looks delicious! I have a ton of leftover spaghetti sauce from chicken parm last week and this looks like the perfect way to use it up and try a new recipe in the meantime. Thanks Erin!

      1. We loved it! I added a few spices to the ricotta/squash mixture (oregano, parsley, and red pepper flakes), and my husband insisted on having “real spaghetti” to put this on, but I had without and it was the perfect warm comfort food. Also I made it in a 9×13 Pyrex since I knew I would’t want the full portion that would fit in the squash half, and it worked great. Thanks Erin!5 stars

          1. Hi Maureen, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it, as veggies like squash tend to get mushy and give off a ton of liquid if frozen and reheated. You can certainly experiment if that doesn’t bother you, but I’ve never tried it myself. I hope you enjoy!

  2. A friend found this recipe and thought I should give it a try. (I like to cook)
    Ground turkey…..I thought it would be tactless, bland, etc. Well we just finished eating it. And even though I didn’t have Italian seasonings I faked it with Greek oregano.
    All I can say is delicious, wonderful, a true taste treat even the ground turkey was delicious I will NOT hesitate to try more of your recipes thank you!5 stars

    1. Denise, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this! Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review, and I hope you enjoy other recipes you decide to try too!

  3. Using the spaghetti squash outer skins as bowls are inventive. It looks good and I am sure that it tastes as good as it looks. Spaghetti squash “noodles” are a great substitute for the real thing. As you mentioned, a person can feel quite virtuous when eating this type of meal. Thanks for your recipe.

  4. Crushed it!  I made my own sauce with sweet turkey sausage because it was a rainy Sunday, so why not!?  So excited for leftovers tomorrow!!! Another healthy winner, Erin!5 stars

  5. Made tonight for the whole family. It was excellent! First time working with spaghetti squash and it was a great change of pace. Thanks! 5 stars

  6. The sauce on its own is just delicious so thankfully I had some leftover to save. The lasagna boats turned out super scrumpious using cottage cheese instead of ricotta which I’ve never been a fan of so I was excited for that alternative!5 stars

  7. The whole family enjoyed this dish. Fun presentation serving in the squash shell. My 16 year old daughter keeps asking for me to make it again. 5 stars

  8. This recipe might be missing a step. At what point is the meat mixture added to the ricotta/spinach/squash mixture? Are they layered in? Thanks for clarifying!5 stars

    1. Hi Joanna, thanks for your question! I’m sorry this was confusing. The meat is combined with the tomato sauce in an earlier step, so it gets added when you top your squash/ricotta mixture with the tomato sauce. I hope this helps!

    1. Hi Curtis! The serving size is an estimate, and it’s as 4-6 since the size of squash you buy can differ significantly. If you have a larger squash, you may be able to split a half into two portions (especially if you’re serving side dish too). If you’re worried about having enough for more than 4 people, I’d suggest doubling the recipe. Leftovers are always delicious! :)

  9. This was really tasty, but I’m confused about the calories. I used less olive oil and a low-fat mozzarella, so presumably my dish should be slightly less caloric, but it came out to 467 per serving. I’ve double-checked each part of it. I know the calories listed here are just an estimate since size of squash and pasta sauce can vary, but that’s a pretty significant difference.5 stars

    1. Hi April! I recalculated the nutritional information and corrected the calories per serving for this recipe. I sincerely apologize for the confusion. Thank you so much for pointing this out! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!

    1. Hi Wendy! I’m so happy you loved this recipe! I have not tried to make the squash ahead of time, but you could experiment by completing Step 1 the day before, and then finishing the other steps the next day. If you decide to try this, I’d love to hear how it goes!

    2. Not sure if you’ll see this but how could I sub in fresh spinach for the frozen? Could I just dump it in the sauce regardless? What would be the ratio of frozen to fresh? Thanks so much!

      1. Hi Sophia! I’ve only tested this recipe as written, so I wouldn’t be able to advise on using fresh spinach but there are a few comments in the comment section about using fresh spinach that might be helpful!

  10. I made this last night, It was delicious. I used ground beef instead, and cooked some fresh spinach down and dried it on some paper towels before mixing it in. I also layered mine in the squash because I felt they were deep enough. Will make it again.It was so filling. And that trick to cut open the squash saved me so much time. Thanks5 stars

    1. Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Courtney! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!

  11. So I tried to use fresh spinach (chopped) instead of frozen, and I found my spinach to ricotta ratio was way out of proportion. But I just mixed the spinach ricotta straight into the meat sauce which cooked down the spinach and blended very well.  Then I just fluffed the squash and filled the squash boats with the whole mixture , topped with cheese and baked.  I doubled the recipe and the filling was exactly enough for 8 boats (4 squash). It turned out really good, that is to say the kind kids liked it. Thanks!5 stars

  12. I made this last night for dinner, it was delicious, very filling! My husband loved it and I will be making this again, it is a keeper!!5 stars

  13. Loved it! I used vegan meat crumble and vegan ricotta and Parmesan and it was so delish! We also always microwave our squash rather than take the extra 50mins to roast it. Definitely makes for a speedier prep! 5 stars

  14. I happen to have a spaghetti squash in the house and will make your recipe soon. I know from the ingredients that it is going to be delicious! Thanks for the idea.5 stars

  15. This was a delicious recipe! This had all the flavor without the carbs! My husband and 3 year old enjoyed it. We will make this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.5 stars

  16. Love, LOVE this recipe. Takes a little prep, but so so worth it. I prep squash & drain spinach earlier in the day & then assembly is easy!! Cheesey and amazing! My husband doesn’t prefer ricotta, so I mix his separate. For me, ricotta totally MAKES the dish!!5 stars

    1. Hi Tamra! The nutritional information is based off of 4 servings. You can find this in the recipe card at the end of the card located under Nutrition. It says Serving: 1 of 4. Hope this helps!

  17. My husband and I are focusing on more fiber in our diets. We both loved this Lasagna recipe and couldn’t wait to finish the leftovers. The texture from the spaghetti squash is a nice slight crunch to the meal! Served with sourdough bread. Yum!!3 stars

  18. Even if you are “iffy” with spaghetti squash… just try this–its insane yummy! I use fresh mozz for the top. :)5 stars

  19. Hi Michelle! I’m sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you. I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load. I do truly appreciate your feedback, and I’m happy that you enjoyed this recipe!