Spaghetti Squash Boats
Love noodles but want to eat fewer carbs? Our beef-stuffed spaghetti squash boats have a similar texture and a fun presentation.
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds)
- 1/4 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Sliced fresh basil, optional
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half the lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Fill the dish with 1/2 inch of hot water. Bake, uncovered, until the squash is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, separating the stringy strands with a fork. Set the squash shells and flesh aside. Editor's Tip: Don't throw away the squash shells! You'll use those later to make the boats.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, three to four minutes, stirring to break the beef into smaller crumbles. Drain. Add the mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for two minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook and stir for two minutes. Stir in the squash flesh. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Editor's Tip: If you aren't concerned about the fat content of the finished product, you can skip the draining step. Fat carries a lot of flavor, and it will have picked up even more from the onion and peppers.
- Stuff the filling into the reserved squash shells and place them in a shallow baking dish. Bake the spaghetti squash boats, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Sprinkle them with cheese, and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about five minutes longer. If desired, top them with fresh basil.
Like stuffed zucchini or stuffed eggplant, these spaghetti squash boats are hearty and flavorful. The flesh of cooked spaghetti squash is a bit like noodles, which gives the Italian-style herbed beef and squash filling a fun texture. Squash is lower in carbs than wheat-based noodles, so it’s a great pasta substitute when you’re looking for a nutritional boost or when you’re feeding folks who can’t eat gluten.
Serve spaghetti squash and ground beef boats as a filling family meal, or slide ’em onto an elegant platter for a small dinner party. These are best served right out of the oven, while the melted cheese on top is nice and gooey.
- Spaghetti squash: A relative of summer squashes like zucchini and winter squashes like pumpkins and butternut, spaghetti squash has a unique, stringy texture that is somewhat reminiscent of noodles.
- Ground beef: Ground beef is the main protein component of this dish. Since you’ll be draining the fat after cooking the beef, consider using a mix with a ratio of 90% lean to 10% fat.
- Onion: A yellow or white onion is the best choice for this dish, although a red onion will work in a pinch.
- Green pepper: Green pepper adds a nice crunch to the filling. However, a red, orange or yellow bell pepper could be substituted, though they will make the stuffing sweeter.
- Mushrooms: You can use button mushrooms in your spaghetti squash boats. But if you can find cremini mushrooms, those are even more flavorful.
- Garlic: The recipe calls for a single clove, but if you’re a garlic lover, feel free to use more.
- Dried herbs: Dried basil and oregano are major ingredients in Italian seasoning, so if you prefer, you can use that instead.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper are used in small amounts when making the filling. Taste the filling before stuffing the squash halves, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Diced tomatoes: If you’re lucky enough to have fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmers market, you could dice those up and use them. If not, canned tomatoes will work just fine.
- Mozzarella: If you’re short on time, use pre-shredded mozzarella for this dish. However, grating cheese yourself is always a great idea. Bagged cheese is usually tossed with additives to keep it from clumping, which can affect how it melts.
- Fresh basil: For a boost of garden flavor, top your squash boats with fresh basil. If you have enough, you can add some to the filling, too.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, separating the stringy strands with a fork. Set the squash shells and flesh aside.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t throw away the squash shells! You’ll use those later to make the boats.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, three to four minutes, stirring to break the beef into smaller crumbles. Drain.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for two minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook and stir for two minutes. Stir in the squash flesh. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: If you aren’t concerned about the fat content of the finished product, you can skip the draining step. Fat carries a lot of flavor, and it will have picked up even more from the onion and peppers.
