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High Protein Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

Two halves of baked spaghetti squash filled with meat sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese, resembling spaghetti squash lasagna.
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Make satisfying, low-carb spaghetti squash lasagna boats using a high-protein cottage cheese and ground turkey filling. This recipe offers the comfort of lasagna without the pasta.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium spaghetti squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 pound ground turkey (or lean beef)
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 ounces jar tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus 1/2 cup for topping
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
  2. Cut each spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
  3. Rub the cut sides of the squash halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet.
  4. Roast the squash for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly.
  5. While the squash roasts, prepare the filling. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Cook until the turkey is browned. Drain any excess fat.
  6. Stir the tomato pasta sauce into the cooked turkey mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  7. In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
  8. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape out the strands, leaving about a 1/2-inch shell intact for the boat.
  9. Mix half of the scraped squash strands into the meat sauce mixture.
  10. Spoon the meat sauce mixture evenly into the four squash boat shells.
  11. Top the meat mixture with the cottage cheese mixture, spreading it evenly.
  12. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top of each boat.
  13. Return the boats to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  14. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For a make-ahead meal, assemble the boats completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before the final baking step. Add 5-10 minutes to the final bake time if cooking from cold.
  • This recipe works well with ground beef or ground chicken instead of turkey.
  • Use ricotta cheese if you prefer a smoother texture in your cheese layer.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/spaghetti-squash-lasagna/