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This Easy, Healthy Spaghetti Squash is gluten free, dairy free, low carb, and paleo friendly. It’s a lighter, more nutrient-packed twist on an Italian classic that takes less than ten simple ingredients. These squash boats are perfect for those colder nights in or when you want something quick, nourishing, and delicious!
This is by FAR one of my favorite easy and healthy weeknight dinners. It requires minimal ingredients and I have enough for leftovers later in the week. I’m all about making things simple and I love when I can cook once and have multiple meals out of it! Even better is when it’s a comforting, cozy, nutrient-dense meal like this one that I’ll be craving to have again and again.
Spaghetti squash boats are one of my favorite easy, healthy meals because they’re so customizable based on what I have in the fridge, what sounds good, and they take minimal time to prep. It’s a veggie-forward alternative to pasta and just a fun way to switch things up – eating out of a boat made of squash sounds more fun, right? 😆 Adding pasta sauce is my go-to, but I change it up by using different proteins and vegetables. I’ll use pasta sauce or white sauce, roasted vegetables on their own or mixed in the sauce, proteins like chicken sausage or shrimp. There’s so much you can do but honestly, THIS recipe is my absolute favorite!
If you’ve ever had pasta with meat sauce, you’ll love this. It’s a much lighter version with more nutrients, protein, and balance over all. You won’t be feeling super heavy or overly full after this meal! Thanks to the spaghetti squash and added vegetables, we have a ton of fiber and nutrients, healthy fats from the olive oil and protein from the beef. Balancing all three macros will support your blood sugar and keep you full and satisfied for longer.
If you’re getting into healthy eating or trying to show someone else that healthy eating can be delicious, you’re going to want to make this one! Or try something like my Sweet Potato Chili, Air Fryer Fajitas, or Chicken Vegetable Sheet Pan.
Watch the full tutorial HERE.
Why You’ll Love This
- Simple and quick prep – This recipe is super low-maintenance. You don’t need to fuss over complicated steps or ingredients. Toss the squash in the oven, sauté the veggies and meat, and you’re done!
- Nutrient packed – Spaghetti squash is high in fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, and so much more.
- Customizable –One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s totally customizable. Want to add more veggies? Go for it! Prefer a different protein? Swap out the ground meat for whatever you like—chicken, turkey, or even a plant-based option for a vegetarian version. The possibilities are endless!
- Dietary friendly – This is gluten free, dairy free, low carb, and high protein. It can easily be made vegetarian or vegan with a couple simple swaps listed below.
What You’ll Need
- Spaghetti squash
- Vegetables – Optional, but I love sneaking extra veggies in – I usually use carrot, celery, and onion but you can use whatever you like!
- Ground beef – I love how comforting ground beef is in this meal but you can also use ground turkey, chicken, sausages, or leave the meat out for a vegetarian option.
- Olive oil – Any neutral oil will work too.
- Italian seasoning
- Sea salt
- Minced garlic
- Pasta sauce
- Optional cheese for topping – If you want this to be dairy free you could use dairy free cheese or leave this out completely!
How To Make
- Brown ground beef (or chicken or turkey) in a pan. Add pasta sauce of choice— I always look for one made with olive oil and no added sugar. Let sauce simmer while you cook the squash.
- Preheat oven to 425F. Carefully slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Season with a drizzle of olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt.
- Place each squash half face down on the baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes.
- Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and use a fork to scrape the strands from the inside of the squash.
- Top each half with sauce. Option to top with shredded cheese and place back in the oven until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!
Recommended Tools
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Large skillet – I prefer GreenPan and Caraway for non-toxic cookware.
- Glass food storage container – store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
More Healthy Dinners To Try
Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Eggplant Lasagna (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
Bell Pepper Nachos (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
Easy, Healthy Spaghetti Squash (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Italian seasoning (to taste)
- sea salt (to taste)
- 2 large carrots (optional for sauce)
- 2 stalks celery (optional for sauce)
- 1/2 onion (optional for sauce)
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground chicken, turkey, etc.)
- 3-4 cloved minced garlic (optional for sauce)
- 1 jar pasta sauce
Optional to top with cheese
Instructions
- This step is optional to add more vegetables to this meal — add carrots, celery, onion, to a blender. Pulse a few times until everything is finely chopped. Or dice by hand.
- Add vegetable mixture to a pan with a splash of olive oil and saute for a few minutes. Add minced garlic and stir.
- Add protein of choice to pan and sauté until cooked through. Add pasta sauce and let simmer.
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice spaghetti squash in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds from each half.
- Season each squash half with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Place face down on the baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until fork tender.
- Remove spaghetti squash from oven and use a fork to scrape strands from the sides of the squash.
- Top with sauce. Option to top with cheese and place back in the oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
* the vegetable step is optional but sneakily adds more vegetables and nutrients to the pasta sauce! If you want to skip this step, just add the pasta sauce as is with the ground meat.
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