Taking the classic lasagna and making it just a touch healthier with these Roasted Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Boats. Spaghetti Squash is a seasonal favorite when it comes to the fall months and there is not much better than stuffing it with tasty italian sausage, marinara, garlic and some creamy dairy free ricotta. It’s all baked together until the sauce is bubbling hot and the cashew cheese is melted to perfection. This is an easy, delicious, gluten-free, and slightly healthier way to enjoy the classic flavors of lasagna.
Why Make Roasted lasagna stuffed spaghetti squash?
It’s Healthy!. Making lasagna with spaghetti squash strands instead of noodles means that this recipe is not only low carb & gluten free but spaghetti squash is also packed with fiber, vitamin C, B6 & Antioxidants. Sounds like the full package, right?
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 and are essentially a toss together and bake situation.
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 Italian Sauasage I opted to make this spaghetti squash lasagna with italian sausage because I love the comforting flavor it brings to the dish. But if prefer, you can make the spaghetti squash lasagna with ground chicken, turkey or ground beef. For a vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna, you can eliminate the meat all together & add in some spinach or mushrooms!
Marinara 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 dried basil & minced garlic to just take it up a notch. My Favorite sugar free, good ingredient marinara brands are Raos & Muir Glen.
Creamy Ricotta Filling. Classic, flavorful lasagna goodness but with a dairy free twist. You can use store bought dairy free ricotta OR make your own as I share in the recipe below by blending raw cashews, lemon juice and water. It’s so simple, more cost effective than store bought and OH SO TASTY!
Parmesan. Salty, nutty, and a lasagna necessity. but can be eliminated to keep it completely dairy free.
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.
Grab a sharp knife, and make small incisions along the side of the squash where you plan to cut it. Here is my Large kitchen knife I use.
Lay your squash on a cutting board, and slice off the stem. Then, cut the squash from stem to butt.
You can microwave your squash for 3 minutes to soften it a bit to make it easier to slice through, but prior to placing in the oven – make small incisions along the squash where you plan to cut it.
Once cut in half, use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the seeds from the inside of your halves.
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.
How to serve Lasagna stuffed spaghetti squash to Kids
This Dish is family friendly. I spoon out the spaghetti squash lasagna and allow my toddler to eat it with a fork, along side a green vegetable.
You can also make a small pot of whole wheat or chickpea pasta and serve that with some of the marinara sauce. My toddler will eat it either way.
You can also toss some spinach into the meat sauce for hidden veggies!
If You enjoyed this Lasagna stuffed spaghetti squash you might also like…
To make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium – high heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook for 5-8 minutes. Until sausage is browned & onions begin to become translucent. Add minced garlic saute for 30 seconds before adding marinara. Simmer sauce while you prepare the ricotta & spaghetti squash
For the Spaghetti Squash: cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and discard. Place squash cut side up on a baking sheet.
For the Cashew Ricotta: place cashews in a blender with lemon juice & 1/4 C water. Blend until smooth. Open up the blender and mix in the dried basil.
Season the spaghetti squash with salt & pepper. Sprinkle half of the parmesan into the bottom of each squash, then evenly divide meat sauce among the squash cavities. Now spoon the ricotta over the meat sauce and spread it around. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Cover the squash loosely with foil.
Transfer to the oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 10 minutes or until the squash is tender and the cheese is golden brown on top.
October 27, 2021
