Baked Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce
This easy baked spaghetti squash recipe is stuffed with tomato sauce, goat cheese, and spinach. It’s a simple, healthy, and super comforting vegetarian dinner idea. All you need are 7 ingredients!
Looking for a veggie-forward alternative to pasta? This oven-baked spaghetti squash with tomato sauce totally hits the spot!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I NEVER shy away from pasta (as evidenced with all the pasta recipes I share here).
That said, these cozy baked spaghetti squash boats are such a delicious, comforting option when you’re looking for something a bit lighter, or when you simply want to change things up!
Spaghetti squash is rich in nutrition benefits, like fiber, beta carotene, and vitamin C. As a dietitian, I love that this recipe helps you get a ton of veggies in.
I shared this recipe on Instagram a while ago and it was super popular with my audience – so many people made it! If you’re new to cooking spaghetti squash, it’s an easy recipe to start with. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Want more recipes for winter squash? Check out my roundup of 20+ winter squash recipes for more inspiration!
About the ingredients
All you need to make this baked spaghetti squash recipe are 7 simple ingredients:
- Spaghetti squash: This type of squash is usually a yellow colour and a rounded-cylindrical shape. When cooked, its flesh can be scraped into strands that resemble spaghetti. If you can find one, I recommend purchasing a smaller spaghetti squash for this recipe (one that’s around the same length as your hand, or a tiny bit longer). They’re a little easier to work with and are a good portion size. The super big squash are a little more difficult to cut and take longer to cook!
- Olive oil: Olive oil is used to brush the spaghetti squash before placing it in the oven, and also to wilt the spinach in. That said, you may use another type of neutral-flavoured oil instead – my preference would be avocado oil.
- Spinach: Spinach is used to sneak some extra greens in the tomato sauce! If preferred, you can swap it for another leafy green, like kale or swiss chard.
- Tomato sauce: You can use any type of tomato sauce you like – store-bought marinara, tomato basil sauce, something spicier (like arrabiatta), or a homemade version as desired!
- Oregano: Dried oregano is used to add some additional Italian-inspired flavours to the tomato sauce.
- Thyme: Like oregano, dried thyme is added to the tomato sauce as well. You’re always welcome to play around with the seasonings and use something like an Italian blend or dried basil as well. If you’d like, you can garnish the finished spaghetti squash with some freshly-chopped basil, parsley, or thyme.
- Goat cheese: Goat cheese is added to the top of the squash, gets nice and melted in the oven, then stirred together with the spaghetti squash strands. It can be swapped for another type of cheese, like feta or some shredded mozzarella – or a vegan/dairy-free alternative if needed.
Please note that spaghetti squash is unique to other varieties of squash. There is no good substitute for another type of squash that will make these “spaghetti-like” strands!
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Tips for cutting spaghetti squash
- Be sure to use a large, sharp chef’s knife for cutting the squash.
- I like to cut the hard ends off first, so that you can stand the squash upright and cut it in half (lengthwise).
- I find it helpful to use a dish towel to help push and wiggle the sharp end of the knife down.
- Using a smaller squash (as mentioned above) will make this whole process a lot easier!
Step-by-step: how to bake spaghetti squash
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stringy-flesh.
Brush the insides of the squash with olive oil. Sprinkle salt + pepper overtop.
Flip squash face-side down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spinach (or other greens) on a pan until it wilts.
Add tomato sauce and dried spices to the spinach. Stir together and cook for a few minutes.
Remove the squash from the oven and fill the insides with the tomato sauce mixture.
Crumble goat cheese on top of the tomato sauce. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes to continue cooking the squash + to melt the cheese.
Remove squash from oven. Use a fork to scrape squash strands into “spaghetti.” Stir everything together and enjoy hot!
Spaghetti squash nutrition benefits
Spaghetti squash is a delicious winter squash that comes out in spaghetti-like strands. While it doesn’t exactly compare to pasta, I still love it for its taste and impressive nutrition profile!
To start, spaghetti squash is a GREAT source of dietary fibre, with a one-cup serving providing 9% of your daily needs (2.2 grams). Fibre plays an important role in promoting digestive health, lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, and helping us feel satiated!
Spaghetti squash is also high in certain micronutrients like:
- vitamin C
- vitamin B6
- manganese
- niacin
- potassium
With its vibrant yellow colour, spaghetti squash is also rich in antioxidants (like beta-carotene and vitamin C), which helps to fight free radical damage to your body’s cells.
Leftovers & reheating
Leftover spaghetti squash can be stored in airtight containers for a meal prep/make ahead option.
They’ll keep for about 3-4 days and can easily be reheated in the microwave.
More spaghetti squash recipes:
- Spaghetti Squash With Pesto & Shrimp
- Mexican-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Boats
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Did you give this Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Baked Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium-small spaghetti squash
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- 1/4 cup goat cheese
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Brush 1 Tbsp of olive oil onto the insides of squash. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.
- Place squash face down on baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add remaining olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Sauté spinach, tomato sauce, oregano, and thyme for 3 mins. Remove from heat.
- Take squash out of the oven and spoon tomato mixture into the center of each squash half, dividing evenly. Crumble goat cheese overtop and return to oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove squash from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before using a fork to scrape squash strands into “spaghetti” to mix in the sauce (see recipe video if needed). Enjoy hot!
Notes
- Leftover spaghetti squash can be stored in airtight containers for a meal prep/make ahead option.
- They’ll keep for about 3-4 days and can easily be reheated in the microwave.
- Spinach can be swapped for another leafy green, like kale or swiss chard.
- Goat cheese can be swapped for another type of cheese that will melt, like feta or some shredded mozzarella.
- You can use any type of tomato sauce you like – store-bought marinara, something spicier (like arrabiatta), or a homemade version as desired!
- If you’d like, you can garnish this with some fresh basil, parsley, or thyme.
- ***Please note that spaghetti squash is unique to other varieties of squash. There is no good substitute for another type of squash that will make these “spaghetti-like” strands!
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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2 Comments on “Baked Spaghetti Squash With Tomato Sauce”
There is no reason to return the squash and fill it with stuff to bake that you have already cooked, just thoroughly bake the Getty squash, and then remove it put it in a casserole dish and add the other ingredients
Hi Nunka. The reason to return the squash to the oven was to also bake the goat cheese, but you’re welcome to do it that way if preferred!