Spaghetti Squash Boats with Cream Cheese
Spaghetti Squash Boats stuffed with cream cheese and spinach 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.
Servings: 2 squashes
Calories: 232kcal
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 leaves
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
Soften the Squash
- 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!
How to Bake Spaghetti Squash Boats.
- Before you get started, preheat oven to 350.
- Cut softened squash in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them (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 or on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until soft and tender.
- Remove squash halves from the oven.
- Loosen the spaghetti squash strands with a fork and set flesh side up in baking dish.
Cream Cheese and Spinach Stuffing
- In a skillet, add cooking 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 shredded Parmesan cheese last.
- Divide the spinach cheese mixture in half and spread onto each half of the cooked squash.
- Season well with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese onto each squash boat.
- Bake stuffed squash boats for 20-25 minutes or until the center is hot and the cheese topping is bubbly.
- Broil for additional 2 minutes until the cheese just begins to brown.
- Serve squash boats immediately while hot and melty.
Video
Notes
Make your spaghetti squash boats a meal. Feel free to add a protein like pre-cooked steak, ground beef, breakfast sausage, or bits of grilled chicken.
Weight Watchers Nutritional Notes: 2 Points per serving for six servings IF using fat free on ALL cheese options.
Can you freeze spaghetti squash?
Let the squash cool completely, then scrape out the spaghetti-like strands of squash.
Place the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer safe container or freeze-safe bag. The baked spaghetti squash will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.
How many carbs are in spaghetti squash?
One cup of cooked spaghetti squash contains approximately 10 grams of carbohydrates. Additional carbs are added depending on how it's prepared.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 488mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g