Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce

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September 3, 2016 by Liza Agbanlog 63 Comments

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The use of spaghetti squash in this baked spaghetti squash with tomato meat sauce recipemakes it the ideal low-carb dish.Spaghetti squash has a unique feature in that it resembles spaghetti after you cook it and fluff it up with a fork. That’s whyit is the perfect vegetable to use in a dish like this. After baking the squash for thirty minutes, the tomato meat sauce is layered on top. After topping it off with mozzarella cheese, it is returned to the oven until the cheese is bubbling.Not only is this dish easy and delicious, it’s also guilt free!

Ingredients

Olive oil
Spaghetti Squash – the main ingredient in this baked spaghetti squash dish. The one I used was 3 lbs
Ground Beef – used to fill the spaghetti squash and the main protein in the dish
Yellow Onion – added to the tomato-meat sauce for flavor
Garlic – added to the tomato-meat sauce for flavor
Italian Seasoning – added to the tomato-meat sauce for flavor
Can of crushed tomatoes – combined with the meat to make it saucy
Mozzarella – sprinkled on top of the meat sauce and melted
Parsley – for garnish

How to make baked spaghetti squash with tomato meat sauce

To make this dish, first score the squash lengthwise. Then, poke a few holes along the score to allow steam to release when microwaving the squash. After, microwave the squash to soften it a bit to make it easier to cut. Scoop out the seeds, brush the inside with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the squash until tender and allow to cool. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash until it resembles spaghetti. Set the squash aside.

On a skillet, heat the oil and add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook a bit more. Then, add the ground beef, season and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning. Scoop the tomato-meat sauce and put on the spaghetti squash halves. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and bake until the cheese is bubbling. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately!

Tips

I like to poke a few holes and microwave my spaghetti squash before slicing it in half. This softens the squash a lot and makes it easier to cut. Alternatively, you can just cut the squash in a half without microwaving it if you are able to do it safely.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce

Liza Agbanlog

This baked spaghetti squash with tomato meat sauce is a low carb dish consisting of spaghetti squash that is cooked with a tomato meat sauce on top.

4.64 from 19 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Western

Servings 4 servings

Calories 359 kcal

Ingredients

Olive oil for brushing
Salt and pepper to taste
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
1 lbs ground beef
1 yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º F
With a knife, carefully score squash lengthwise where you’re going to cut it in half. Poke a few holes along the score.
Microwave the squash for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Carefully cut the squash in a half. Scoop out the seeds.
Brush the inside of both halves of the squash with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the two halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast the squash until tender, about 30 minutes. Allow several minutes to cool.
Using a fork, scrape the insides to create a spaghetti-like texture. Leave insides in the squash.
Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5-8 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef. Season with salt. Cook and mix until cooked through, while breaking the beef into small crumbles, 5-8 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
Spread the tomato/beef mixture evenly between the two squash halves.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly between both halves.
Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Source: Buzzfeed

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25squashCalories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 28gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 357mgFiber: 8gSugar: 13g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition Facts

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce

Amount Per Serving (0.25 squash)

Calories 359 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 357mg16%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 28g56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce - Salu Salo Recipes (7)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Lydia Thomas
December 4, 2022 at 1:58 pm
my husband and i are just trying this recipe out now, we have never ever had spaghetti squash in our lives so here is to hoping that this is going to be delicious and we are using spaghetti sauce instead of tomatoes and mixed shredded cheese instead of mozzq thank you for the recipe
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  December 4, 2022 at 2:08 pm
  You are so welcome Lydia! Take care and Let me know how it goes!
  Reply
Kerry
November 6, 2020 at 1:56 pm

AMAZING!! easy too! Thanks LIZA.
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  November 6, 2020 at 2:56 pm
  You’re welcome Kerry! Glad you were able to try this recipe. Take care and stay safe!
  Reply
  See Also
  No Bake Keto Peanut Butter Pie Recipe- Ketofocus Low Carb Turkey Pot Pie Recipe - Gluten Free 21 Keto Bread Recipes Stovetop Chili Recipe
Angelika I Gray
August 31, 2020 at 1:56 pm
Thank you for the micro waving tip to soften the skin! I’ve tried cooking spaghetti squash before but found it almost impossible to cut.
this made it so much easier.
Reply
Andy
June 11, 2019 at 4:19 pm
I’m having a hard time thinking there are 30g of carbs in this dish.
Reply
- Lee
  July 18, 2020 at 12:13 pm
  So do I. Where are all the carbs coming from?
  Reply
  - Liza Agbanlog
    July 20, 2020 at 10:34 am
    Hi Lee,
    Most of the carbs comes from the spaghetti squash. 3 lbs of spaghetti squash has 96 grams of carbs so 1 serving is 24 grams (96 divided by 4) of carbs. The rest comes from the rest of the ingredients.
    Reply
abby
January 19, 2019 at 2:41 pm

just made this we love it
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  January 21, 2019 at 7:07 pm
  Awesome!
  Reply
Leslie
January 7, 2019 at 4:47 pm

First time making a spaghetti squash recipe. This was amazing!!! Instant favorite. Like some of the others, I used ground turkey. I also used reduced fat shredded mozzarella to lighten it up a little more. So delicious! Will be making this again for sure. Thank you for sharing.
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  January 7, 2019 at 4:50 pm
  You’re welcome Leslie!
  Reply
Susan David
January 6, 2019 at 1:51 pm

I have made the recipe a few times and it is delicious. My question is can you make ahead a day or two before cooking in the oven?
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  January 6, 2019 at 3:49 pm
  Hi Susan,
  It should be okay to make this dish ahead of time. Do steps 2 to 13 and store in the fridge. When ready to cook, reheat the squash halves in the preheated oven. Remove them from the oven, sprinkle tops with the cheese sand then place back in the oven until cheese melts. Hope this helps!
  Reply
Sharon
November 29, 2018 at 4:39 pm
The squash blew up in the microwave after 4 minutes. what a disaster. The recipe still turned out quite nice.
Reply
Diane ferraro
September 19, 2018 at 2:08 pm

This is DELICIOUS …….MY HUSBAND AND I LOVED IT 😜🍷🍷thank you
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  September 24, 2018 at 6:33 pm
  You’re welcome Diane!
  Reply
  - Anonymous
    December 15, 2018 at 1:30 pm
    You are 😉
    Reply
Dinah
September 4, 2018 at 5:44 pm
Definitely preparing this again…delicious! I used ground turkey instead of ground beef.
Reply
Julie Amato
September 3, 2018 at 7:03 am
How would you serve this for 4? Did you cut each one in half after cooked and stuffed?
Thank you! Can’t wait to make this!!
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  September 3, 2018 at 4:44 pm
  Hi Julie,
  You may cut one piece in half after cooking or you leave it as one piece and share.
  Reply
Brooke
February 26, 2018 at 6:02 pm

I made this tonight and it was so yummy. This was my first time to try spaghetti squash and I was very pleasantly surprised how filling and good it was.
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  February 26, 2018 at 6:54 pm
  Awesome!
  Reply
- Anonymous
  May 31, 2018 at 12:48 pm
  What does it mean when they say score zucchini
  Reply
  See Also
  Savory Mushroom Asiago Chicken Recipe
  - Liza Agbanlog
    May 31, 2018 at 1:45 pm
    Hi, To score the squash, make an indent with your knife along the length around of the squash. This makes it easier to poke holes and to cut it later. I hope that helps!
    Reply
- Angela McElrath
  August 28, 2018 at 5:34 pm
  
  Just finished making this scrumptious dish, took first bite, YUMMY. I used ground turkey instead of beef, so good
  Reply
  - Liza Agbanlog
    August 28, 2018 at 5:36 pm
    That’s great!
    Reply
Janene
January 16, 2018 at 9:18 pm
I’ve made this twice now and it’s been a big hit with my family. Even my 10-year old loves it! I like it better than “real” spaghetti. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  January 18, 2018 at 4:00 pm
  You’re welcome Janene!
  Reply
Anonymous
November 15, 2017 at 6:56 pm
Made it this evening, baked squash instead of microwave. I used ground turkey, also sauteed a rainbow of peppers and mushrooms with the onions and garlic. My husband loved it. Great recipe, thanks.
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  November 17, 2017 at 8:59 pm
  You’re welcome!
  Reply
Andrea
October 26, 2017 at 5:33 pm
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. The whole family loved it and I’ve already made it twice in one week!
Reply
Michelle
October 22, 2017 at 10:36 am

Used ground turkey instead of beef and a sweet basil marinara sauce…..beautiful!
Reply
- Bellamy
  October 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm
  This recipe is amazing ! I’ve Made it many times!! It’s turns out great every time
  Reply
  - Liza Agbanlog
    October 13, 2018 at 3:22 pm
    🙂
    Reply
Brittany Carroll
September 29, 2017 at 11:24 am
What is the % fat of the ground beef used in this?
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  October 2, 2017 at 4:24 pm
  Hi Brittany,
  I used lean ground beef in this recipe.
  Reply
Pat
September 7, 2017 at 4:47 pm

I made this tonight!! I highly recommend it. It makes a lot. Easily would feed four with a salad.
Reply
Romunda
August 23, 2017 at 5:44 pm

I absolutely loved this! I will definitely make it again!
Reply
Larence
January 30, 2017 at 6:00 am
I’m curious as to why it’s necessary to microwave? Is it just to make it easier to get the seeds out?
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  January 30, 2017 at 8:42 pm
  Hi Larence,
  I microwave the spaghetti squash so as to make the skin softer and easier to cut in half.
  Reply
  - Romunda
    August 23, 2017 at 5:45 pm
    Great idea! Cause it’s hard to cut! I’m doing this the next time I make it.
    Reply
Anonymous
January 28, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Does the nutritional information noted above include the mozzarella cheese?
Thank you!
Reply
- Liza Agbanlog
  February 5, 2017 at 6:47 am
  Hi. Yes it does include the mozzarella cheese.
  Reply
  - Jeanine Stapleton
    March 24, 2019 at 2:04 pm
    Where does the amount of carbs primarily come from? Would like to cut to reduce. Thanks!
    Reply
    - Liza Agbanlog
      March 26, 2019 at 11:14 am
      Hi Jeanine,
      Based on what I know, the amount of carbs is primarily from the can of crushed tomatoes.Hope this helps!
      Reply
Rachel
January 4, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Hi, it says in the ingredients to have Italian seasoning, when and where do you add that? Thanks.
Reply
- Liza A
  January 7, 2017 at 1:54 pm
  Oops! Should be added to the meat sauce. Thanks for letting me know.
  Reply
Carin
January 3, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Hi. If a serving size is 1/4 of a squash, do you just cut the half in half again to serve it up? All the pictures show it as a serving size is half a squash. Sorry if that’s a weird question
Reply
- Liza A
  January 3, 2017 at 5:52 pm
  Hi Carin! I serve it in the half. I would usually scoop out half of the half onto my plate.
  Reply
Tera
October 18, 2016 at 1:37 pm
Hey Liza,
As I’m reading the instructions it doesn’t say when you add the spaghetti squash back into the mixture. You’ve scraped it in step 8, but do you cook it with the other veggies, meat and sauce or wait until everything else is cooked and then add it in?
Sounds delish!
Reply
- Liza A
  October 18, 2016 at 1:44 pm
  Hi Tera,
  You scrape the spaghetti squash in step 8 and leave it in the squash. Then, after cooking the meat sauce mixture separately, you add that meat mixture on top of the spaghetti squash halves in step 13. I hope that makes sense! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it!
  Reply
Laura
September 28, 2016 at 2:06 pm
If using a smaller squash how would I adjust the cook time both in the microwave and the stove?
Reply
- Liza A
  September 28, 2016 at 2:21 pm
  Hi Laura, It really depends on how much smaller your spaghetti squash is. If I am assuming it’s no smaller than 1.5 to 2 lbs, then I don’t think you should need to adjust the cook time in the microwave or stove. I hope that helps!
  Reply
Jamey
September 24, 2016 at 12:39 pm
What temp should the oven be set to when roasting?
Reply
- Liza A
  September 24, 2016 at 12:42 pm
  Oops, I forgot to add that step. It should be 400F. Sorry about that!
  Reply
Tiffany
September 21, 2016 at 4:42 pm
The serving size says 1, is that one whole squash or half?
Thanks!
Reply
- Liza A
  September 21, 2016 at 9:30 pm
  Hi Tiffany, That’s actually for 1/4 of the squash.
  Reply
  - Anonymous
    February 12, 2018 at 3:36 pm
    So just for clarification it is 1/2 of the halved squash?
    Reply
    - Liza Agbanlog
      February 13, 2018 at 7:38 am
      Yes, that is correct
      Reply
Rica J. Harder
September 7, 2016 at 5:49 pm

Hi Liza, I like this healthy version of a spaghetti. The problem is I can not find an oblong shaped squash in Bacolod. The only squah variety available here is the round shape. How can I make this into squash spaghetti? Thank you.
More power to you. God bless!
Reply
- Liza A
  September 8, 2016 at 4:15 pm
  Hi Rica, Unfortunately, you need to use this specific type of squash (it’s called “Spaghetti Squash”) in order to get the spaghetti-like strands.
  Reply
- Paula
  April 19, 2018 at 4:15 pm
  
  You could also use zucchini (courgette) if you have a spiralizer to turn any vegan table into noodles.
  Reply