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    Home » Recipes » Easy Main Dish Recipes

    Sep 29, 2022 by Andrea· This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

    Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    Jump to Recipe

    This Stuffed Spaghetti Squash might have you rethinking spaghetti with meat sauce altogether. Roasted spaghetti squash produces perfect strands that mimic noodles and are a healthy and easy alternative to pasta when you are looking for something a little lighter. It's comfort food at it's finest!

    spaghetti squash in a baking dish with one portion on a side plate with a fork.

    I love a good pasta night but I try to keep those to a minimum. Spaghetti Bolognese is one of my absolute favourites so I wanted to make a version to appease my cravings but without the pasta. Here it is! Not a traditional Bolognese but more of a quick and easy beef and mushroom spaghetti sauce that will have you coming back for more.

    Do you like "lightened up" classic recipes? Try my Cheeseburger Bowl, you won't regret it. If you are looking for more ways to use spaghetti squash you might like this Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Soup.

    Jump to:
    • 🥘Ingredients
    • 🔪Instructions
    • 🥣Substitutions
    • Storage
    • Pro-Tip
    • Variations
    • More recipes you might like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🥘Ingredients

    Here's what you will need to make this recipe. For quantities see the recipe card below.

    all ingredients laid out on a blue background.
    • Spaghetti squash
    • Onion
    • Lean ground beef
    • Garlic
    • Cremini mushrooms
    • Tomato passata
    • Fresh basil
    • Mozzarella cheese
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Fresh parsley, optional

    🔪Instructions

    For full instructions see the recipe card below.

    whole spaghetti squash with small cuts lengthwise like a dotted line.
    cutting along the dotted line with a chef's knife.

    First roast the spaghetti squash. The trick to making sure the squash is dry and the strands separate easily is to roast the halves cut side up. Spaghetti squash has a tough skin. Make a line of small cuts, with a paring knife, around the squash first before using a large knife to cut right through. Like making a perforated line.

    spaghetti squash after roasting showing how the strands pull away with a fork.

    While the squash is roasting make the meat sauce. This sauce comes together in less time than it takes to roast the squash so there's very little waiting time.

    sauteed onions and ground meat in a large skillet.
    cooked onions, beef and mushrooms in a large skillet.
    tomato sauce added to the skillet with the ground beef, onions and mushrooms.
    spaghetti squash strands and fresh basil has been added to the mixture.

    Once the squash is done, remove some of the strands to make room for more sauce in the boats. Add that squash to the meat mixture and then fill the boats. Top with the two cheeses and bake until the cheese is melted. Broil at the end to brown the cheese if desired. Cut into portions and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley if desired.

    finished stuffed spaghetti squash garnished with fresh parsley in a casserole dish with Parmesan cheese on the side.

    🥣Substitutions

    • Ground beef - any ground meat would be delicious in this recipe.
    • White onion - any type of onion works here.
    • Cremini mushrooms - substitute white mushrooms or omit the mushrooms and add a small chopped bell pepper instead.
    • Tomato passata - use your favourite tomato/spaghetti sauce or pureed canned tomatoes.
    • Fresh basil - substitute with 1 tablespoon dried basil instead of fresh.
    • Mozzarella cheese - use cheddar or fontina. Omit the mozzarella and only use Parmesan.
    • Parmesan cheese - you can leave out the Parmesan and just use mozzarella.

    Storage

    Keep covered in the fridge for 3 days. If you make extra sauce you can freeze it for up to 6 months.

    Pro-Tip

    • Cooking times will vary for the roasted spaghetti squash so be sure to check it every 5 minutes or so, after 45 minutes. The strands should pull away easily from the skin using a fork.
    • Double this easy sauce and freeze half of it. That way next time all you have to do is cook the squash!

    Variations

    Vegetarian - To make this dish vegetarian simply replace ground meat with chopped tofu, tempeh, or your favourite beans or lentils.

    Make it a casserole - This can be made casserole style by scraping all the flesh from the squash and placing it in the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Then top with the meat sauce and cheese and bake until bubbling and cheese is melted. The whole casserole can also be frozen before the final baking step. Bake from frozen in a 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

    one serving on a small plate with a bite taken out.

    Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and/or a comment below. You can also follow me on social media here on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

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    More recipes you might like

    • Taco Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
    • Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Soup
    • Chicken Parmesan Meatball Skillet
    • Creamy Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

    📖 Recipe

    finished stuffed spaghetti squash garnished with fresh parsley in a casserole dish with Parmesan cheese on the side.

    Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    Spaghetti sauce stuffed into a roasted spaghetti squash makes for a lighter version of a classic dish.
    4.91 from 51 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 361kcal
    Author: Andrea Mut
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the squash

    • 1 spaghetti squash, 2 kg/4 lbs
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Salt and pepper

    For the sauce

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lg white onion, finely diced
    • 454 g 1 lb lean ground beef
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 200 g 8-9 cremini mushrooms
    • 1 cup tomato passata or tomato sauce
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

    Toppings

    • 1 cup mozzarella grated
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
    • Fresh parsley finely chopped, optional garnish

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds (see above photos). Place, cut side up, on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until squash pulls easily from the shell with a fork.
    • Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until it starts to look “glassy”. Add ground meat and cook for another 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink and mushrooms are softened. Add tomato passata and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add in fresh basil.
    • Remove squash from oven and when cool enough to handle, scrape about half of the squash from each shell. Stir into meat mixture then scoop the meat and squash mixture back into the shells. Top with mozzarella cheese then sprinkle with Parmesan.
    • Return to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

    Notes

    STORAGE - Keep covered in the fridge for 3 days. If you make extra sauce you can freeze it for up to 6 months. 
     
    NUTRITION FACTS - Please note that these calculations are an estimate only and have not been approved by a registered dietitian. I use an online nutritional calculator from My Fitness Pal to calculate the numbers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1of 6 servings | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MyPocketKitchen or tag #mypocketkitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.91 from 51 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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    1. Gail Perks says

      March 30, 2025 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      I have made this recipe several times. It is easy to make and so delicious. Its one of those "go to" comfort meals that everyone enjoys.

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    2. Gail says

      January 20, 2025 at 1:41 pm

      5 stars
      This is a very easy recipe and oh so delicious. I have made dit several times and my family always enjoys eating it.

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    3. Gale says

      October 21, 2024 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      Very easy recipe and great taste. I make my own spaghetti sauce and I plan to make the cowboy soup soon. Good job

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      • Andrea says

        October 22, 2024 at 3:58 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Hope you like the Cowboy Soup!

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    4. Cori says

      May 20, 2024 at 10:13 pm

      5 stars
      I used 2 spaghetti squash... (4 halves) Used 1 pack Gardein meatless crumbles and 1 pack Impossible Sausage mixed. Used canned mushroom pieces, and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, and 1 can of petite diced tomatoes instead of sauce. Also added oregano, just because I love oregano. That being said, I probably have enough of the mixture for at least 1 more full squash left over... and I piled the things HIGH. 3 people ate and we also still have 1.5 stuffed halves left.

      I think the left over mixture would be good to stuff in zucchini too. So will probably do that for variation.

      I thought it was delicious. My 2 ( Type 1) teens ate it without complaint.
      Low carb for the amount of food. Even if you're watching carbs, you can really stuff your face with lots and lots of food and keep the count relatively low. Even lower if I would have used real meat... but 2 of us prefer the taste of Impossible meat over real. ( Used Gardien for half because it's cheaper than going full Impossible. )

      Great meal for emotional eaters, or those times when it's getting colder and you're in pack-on-the-pounds mode, or you're just always hungry, no matter what you eat. Or maybe I'm alone in these types of feelings. Idk!! But a wonderful meal for when you really just want eat a ton, without the damage of eating a ton. Tasty and ... though eggs are my comfort food... I could see this ranking high on that list.

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    5. Natasha says

      May 07, 2024 at 3:05 am

      5 stars
      Well that was beautiful. I think I'll serve this dish for my in laws next time!

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      • Andrea says

        May 07, 2024 at 7:14 am

        Amazing! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your comment 😊

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    6. Lauree says

      March 25, 2024 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      This ole 82 yr old granny thought I'd try your recipe just as you've stated with no alterations whatsoever except for one thing....as I can't eat hard cheezes, I mixed in a couple of scoops of dried cottage cheese along with some extra sauce to curb any dryness my change might have added to this great recipe!! Was ever so delicious........thank you so much for this recipe as your instructions were easy to follow!!

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      • Andrea says

        March 27, 2024 at 10:17 am

        Hi Lauree! Thank you so much for sharing that. Cottage cheese sounds like a wonderful addition. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

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    7. Robbie says

      March 02, 2024 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful!
      We used ground turkey instead!

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      • Andrea says

        March 04, 2024 at 9:31 am

        Perfect! So happy you enjoyed it!

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    8. Lynn Norton says

      January 05, 2024 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. It’s a winter go to dish.

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    9. Lori says

      December 20, 2023 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today and it was delicious! I did make a few changes I added a zucchini and red and green peppers that I needed to use and used ground turkey! It was delicious and easy to make; I will definitely make again!

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      • Andrea says

        December 21, 2023 at 8:10 am

        I’m so happy you enjoyed it! It’s such a flexible recipe so I’m glad you played around with it. I’m all for using up what you have if it fits with the recipe. Thanks so much for your comment 😊

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    10. PJ says

      November 05, 2023 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      We loved this very much! Only modifications were 1/2 green pepper sauteed with onion (no mushrooms) and 1 cup of jarred Basil Tomato spaghetti sauce. DELICIOUS! Thanks

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      • Andrea says

        November 06, 2023 at 6:34 am

        Hi PJ! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Love green peppers 🫑 Thanks for the comment!

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    11. Cille says

      October 18, 2023 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Quite delicious and easy.
      I ended up squeezing some of the juice out of the squash after cooking, since mine was a bit watery and added some chili flakes and carrots to the sauce to compensate for the sweetness of the squash.

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      • Andrea says

        October 18, 2023 at 3:10 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe Cille. Thank so much for commenting!

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    12. Erik says

      October 05, 2023 at 8:48 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Made it pretty much exactly according to the recipe. I used lots of oregano.
      Next time will double the sauce so I have some left over to freeze.

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      • Andrea says

        October 06, 2023 at 7:39 am

        Excellent idea to double the sauce! So happy you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting!

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    13. Brian says

      September 25, 2023 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      Loved it ! Easy to adapt to a great change. Thanks!

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      • Andrea says

        September 25, 2023 at 7:03 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting!

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    14. Jen C says

      September 15, 2023 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      Have made this dish many times. My teen son requested it last week. When he saw I had made it, he declared it his favourite meal! High praise to Andrea. PS - I added baby spinach with the basil to get in some leafy greens. Yum!

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      • Andrea says

        September 16, 2023 at 9:26 am

        That is the ultimate compliment for sure! I'm so happy you are enjoying it and great additions too!

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    15. Sharon Waugh says

      September 11, 2023 at 8:48 pm

      5 stars
      Forgot how good this tastes! Thanks for reminding me! All the flavours of a great pasta dish without the guilt!

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    16. Fay says

      January 23, 2023 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      I substituted ground chicken and turkey with this recipe, and it was equally delicious. I even diced a bonless skinless chicken breast and it worked great.

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    17. Mandie says

      January 22, 2023 at 6:11 pm

      5 stars
      This was super easy, super yummy, and soooo filling! Will definitely make it again!

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    18. Katie Goldsmith says

      January 20, 2023 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      Love this dish. The flavour in the sauce is amazing and yet so simple. I added some spinach to the sauce, just to increase my veggie count.

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    19. Karen says

      January 20, 2023 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made this last night and it was amazing! Leftovers for dinner again tonight!

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    20. Gail Perks says

      January 20, 2023 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is so delicious and I have made it several times. Well worth trying!

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    21. Sandra says

      January 06, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      OMG…I made this as a casserole and added hot Italian sausage to the mix. It looked just like a lasagna and tasted amazing!
      Thanks Andrea

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    22. Jodi Bonham says

      January 03, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! First time cooking spaghetti squash and will def make this again.

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    23. Susan says

      December 31, 2022 at 9:13 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite meals and you can easily change up the ingredients to what’s on hand

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    24. Carin Elder says

      December 30, 2022 at 2:19 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is one of the most requested at our house. Thanks Andrea for the great ideas and recipes

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    25. Lynda says

      October 11, 2022 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      Made this for my husband and I. It was delicious! My husband is not a big squash fan and even he loved it!! He took the leftovers for lunch the next day!!!

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    26. Susan says

      October 02, 2022 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner, I used my own fresh sauce from my home grown tomatoes (first time ever growing tomatoes and making sauce) So delicious and easy !
      Thank you Andrea for your amazing recipes!!

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      • Andrea says

        October 03, 2022 at 7:40 am

        My pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it and congratulations on the sauce making. It's the best!

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    27. Barbara says

      October 01, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Easy and so good. Thank you for the substitution ideas I love that about your recipes.

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    28. Lynn says

      September 30, 2022 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      Easy, delicious and the whole family loves it.

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    Andrea from My Pocket Kitchen

    Hello and welcome to My Pocket Kitchen! I'm Andrea, a professionally trained Chef & Pastry Chef . Here you will find easy, step by step recipes that are packed with wholesome, nutrient rich ingredients. Hope you have fun! Read More…

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