Spaghetti Squash Boats with cream cheese and spinach stuffed inside make a delicious side dish cut down or a full blown low carb vegetarian meal for one. Want to get creative?
Add chicken, beef, or sausage in your boat for a totally filling and perfectly healthy dinner tonight.
Spaghetti Squash Boats with Cream Cheese and Spinach
This tasty spaghetti squash will make you appreciate veggies like never before. An easy, cheesy and creamy side dish, you will LOVE this recipe.
Personally I get in a rut where I am roasting carrots or steaming broccoli, so when I can incorporate more interesting veggies like squash, I get excited.
Of course a dish like this take a bit more prep, but for a few times a month or even a holiday meal, its definitely worth it. Even if it takes a bit of time because squash is one veggie that has to get good and soft, its also super easy so don’t let that detract from your future delicious meal~
To get started, you need to gather the following – scroll to the bottom for measurements and an easy to read printable recipe card that makes shopping for this recipe a breeze.
- Spaghetti squash
- vegetable oil
- minced garlic
- cream cheese, cubed
- cottage cheese
- chopped fresh spinach
- shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
RELATED RECIPES: Other recipes that use spaghetti squash are Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, Roasted Butternut Squash and How to make Spaghetti Squash in the oven.
Weight Watchers Nutritional Notes: 2 Points per serving for 6 servings IF using fat free on ALL cheese options
Make Spaghetti Squash a Meal
Make your spaghetti squash boats a meal.
Feel free to add pre-cooked steak, ground beef, breakfast sausage, or bits of grilled chicken.
You can also try different spices like Mexican or pizza flavored to alter your recipe.
How to make Squash Boats
Spaghetti Squash Tips:
Before you get started on this recipe, you will need to soften your spaghetti squash. This is one tough veggie and trying to cut it for baking before its softened a bit, just wont work well. This is the best way I found to work with spaghetti squash for this recipe is listed below. You can also check out my full detailed article on how to bake spaghetti squash here for all your other recipes.
Soften the Squash
Before you get started, preheat oven to 350.
Soften the squash in the microwave, by poking with a fork and placing in microwave for 6 minutes. Squash WILL BE HOT when you try to remove it! BE CAREFUL!
Cut squash in half lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard (try not to take much flesh with you, just the seeds)
Spray flesh side of squash with cooking spray or brush with oil.
Place flesh side down in a large baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until soft and tender.
Remove from oven.
Loosen the spaghetti squash with a fork and set flesh side up in baking dish.
Cream Cheese and Spinach Stuffing
In a skillet, add oil, minced garlic and cream cheese.
Heat mixture on low heat, stirring frequently until all cheese is melted.
Stir in cottage cheese, and raw spinach and heat until warm, about 2 minutes.
Stir in grated or shredded Parmesan cheese last.
Divide spinach cheese mixture in half and spread onto each halves of the squash.
Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese onto each squash boat.
Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until center is hot and cheese is bubbly.
Broil for 2 minutes until cheese just begins to brown.
Serve immediately while hot and melty.
Cream Cheese and Spinach Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 ounce cream cheese - cubed
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Soften the Squash
- Before you get started, preheat oven to 350.
- Soften the squash in the microwave, by poking with a fork and placing in microwave for 6 minutes.
- Squash WILL BE HOT when you try to remove it! BE CAREFUL!
- Cut squash in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard (try not to take much flesh with you, just the seeds)
- Spray flesh side of squash with cooking spray or brush with oil.
- Place flesh side down in a large baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until soft and tender.
- Remove from oven.
- Loosen the spaghetti squash with a fork and set flesh side up in baking dish.
- Cream Cheese and Spinach Stuffing
- In a skillet, add oil, minced garlic and cream cheese.
- Heat mixture on low heat, stirring frequently until all cheese is melted.
- Stir in cottage cheese, and raw spinach and heat until warm, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in grated or shredded Parmesan cheese last.
- Divide spinach cheese mixture in half and spread onto each halves of the squash.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese onto each squash boat.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center is hot and cheese is bubbly.
- Broil for additional 2 minutes until cheese just begins to brown.
- Serve immediately while hot and melty.
Trudy says
If I am the only one eating this, can I reheat it the next day? Does this freeze well?
Trisha says
You can reheat it, microwave is the best way. And you can freeze, just put your left over squash “flesh” into a baggie and push out all the air. Then freeze. Should be good for a few months, although I am personally particular about freezing too long or I can find my food stuffed in the back a year later.
Joyce Hope says
How many carbs in the spagh squash recipe?
Trisha says
I am always hesitant on sharing carbs as that will depend on what you portion out to eat and the size of your veggie (squash). Based on THIS recipe and being cut into 3rds (So 6 servings) this recipe is estimated at 12 carbs. You can look at CarbManager to adjust your products/servings.
Catherine Baez Sholl says
These look so delicious! I can see myself sharing one of these with my hubby for a couple of dinners. Great recipe!
Trisha says
Thankyou Catherine! And so many wonderful ways to make spaghetti squash boats that you can really dress it up for a healthy dinner.
Sherri says
I love naked spaghetti squash, so I know I would love this. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks.
Silke Maria says
This turned out really yummi, i added a hand full of Bacon pieces into the Mixture.
For People who would like to safe some Time, u can Microwave the Squash for 15 Minutes to soften it and it is just as good as Baking it.
Trisha says
yum that sounds amazing and thanks for the awesome tip as well