Spaghetti Squash Lasagna For Two
When it comes to eating healthy, it may seem hard to find easy, delicious and hearty comfort foods that are healthy. Enter Spaghetti Squash Lasagna for Two. Okay, maybe “lasagna” is a stretch. But since it’s a spaghetti squash, split in half and stuffed with all those characteristic lasagna comforts of hearty Italian red sauce and melty cheese – why not? It’s hearty and comes together quickly.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
For the Spaghetti Squash
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil divided
- Salt& pepper to taste
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ cup yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ½ pound ground turkey ground beef, ground chicken, or a plant-based meat substitute works too.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce, such as Classico Spicy Red Pepper Spaghetti sauce
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or low fat 1% or 2% cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 cup frozen spinach drained and pressed as dry as possible
- ½ cup Provolone cheese – feel free to use a mix of melty cheeses like mozzarella or fontina – feel free to use a mix of melty cheeses like mozzarella or fontina, all are great options.
Toasted Lemon Panko Topping (optional)
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs – these time saver bread crumbs can be found next to other bread crumbs or in the Asian food aisle at your local grocery story.
- Zest of one lemon
- ½ teaspoon Olive Oil
- Basil chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
For the squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grab a fork or sharp knife, carefully poke a few holes in the skin of the spaghetti squash. Now, microwave your squash for about 5 minutes. Leave it in the microwave and let cool until you can comfortably hold it with your hand. Slice the squash long-ways down the center, from the tip of the stem to the bottom of the squash, scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush olive oil on the cut edges and inside the cavity. Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the cut halves in a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave until the ‘spaghetti’ is fork tender and pulls away easily from the flesh, about 15 minutes.
For the meat sauce:
- Meanwhile , heat the oil in a small skillet, sauté the onion and garlic until onion begins to soften. Add ground turkey (or meat of your choice), ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Using a spatula or wooden spoon break apart the meat into small pieces, until fully cooked and browned, about 4 minutes. Pour in the pasta sauce, add oregano, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat.
For the ricotta filling:
- Place spinach in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to separate any large clumps. Combine the remaining ricotta filling ingredients: ricotta, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. When the cooked squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate into ribbons resembling ‘spaghetti’ and place into the ricotta filling mixing bowl.
Fill the squash and bake:
- Place the squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Add half of the ricotta stuffing, then layer with the meat sauce. Dollop remaining ricotta a top lasagna. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until heated through, about 15 - 20 minutes.
For lemon panko topping (optional):
- Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add panko, salt, and pepper to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until panko is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer panko to medium bowl. Stir in lemon zest and basil.
- Garnish with chopped basil and toasted panko. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
To Make Ahead: Before topping with toasted lemon panko, wrap the stuffed squash in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To serve: Bake in a 350-degree F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes, then top with basil and toasted panko.
I do not recommend freezing this dish, as frozen spaghetti squash tends to become mushy and watery once thawed.
Do This: Freeze leftover sauce separately and use it to top pasta or freshly baked spaghetti squash later.