Happy Meatless Monday! Now that it is officially fall, I am excited to start sharing some of my favorite autumnal recipes with you all. Just a side note, I have a philosophical boycott of all things pumpkin until October 1st. Things are a little pumpkin crazy of late! Anyway, today I am sharing one of my favorites with you, Southwestern Spaghetti Squash Boats. So please jump in and join Tina and I for Meatless Monday.
I love love Spaghetti Squash! It’s really so easy to make and very versatile. Removing it from the shell and mixing in lots of veggie goodness before stuffing it back in is my favorite way to enjoy it.
A couple of cook’s notes:
-I find it easiest to cook the spaghetti squash in the microwave. I cut them in half, scrape out the seeds and place them face down in a casserole dish. Add about 2 inches of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until soft and squash can be removed with a fork approx. 10-14 min.
-When removing the squash, take care not to scrape down too far as it will cause the “boats” to be unstable and break.
-The cheese can easily be left off of top for a vegan alternative. These are a great balance of protein and carbs.
Southwestern Spaghetti Squash Boats
09/28/2015
Persons
2
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 2 c spinach
- 1/2 c corn
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1/4 c salsa
- 1 c black beans
- 1/2 c cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Wash, cut and clean out seeds from squash
- Place face down in casserole dish w 2 in of water & cover w plastic wrap
- Microwave approx 10-15 min until squash is soft & can be scraped out
- Meanwhile, saute spinach until soft
- Add in corn, tomatoes, beans, salsa
- salt, pepper, garlic & red pepper to taste
- Remove " spaghetti" from shell taking care to leave the "boat" intact'
- Mix squash with veggie mixture
- Stuff back into squash boats
- Top with cheese and bake at 350 for 20m
- Serve
What’s your favorite way to eat spaghetti squash? Pumpkin before Oct 1? Yay or Nay?
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Oooooh these look delicious! I love squash boats, and it is good you gave the tips as I have made each of those mistakes in the past shah
I have made the mistake of scraping too much out and it just fell apart. Happy Monday my meatless Monday friend 🙂
Great minds! I just picked up three spaghetti squash this weekend at the pumpkin patch and said I need something mexican to go with them! This is perfect. I love squash this time of year. Another great recpe and link up Deborah thank you!
Squash is so good and so filling! Thanks and have a great week
Heck yeah for spaghetti squash!!! I haven’t made any yet this year but thinking I need to add it to my menu for the week! 🙂
oh yeah definitely! It’s so yummy have a great week
I love spaghetti squash. These sound delicious!
Thanks so much! Have a great week
Freaking love spaghetti squash. I’d eat it all day every day if I didn’t fear what it would do to my insides!
Ha no need to elaborate!! Have a great day 🙂
I’ve actually never experimented with spaghetti squash yet! And I tried to hold out as long as possible with pumpkin, but all the peer pressure got to me! I’m 100% in pumpkin mode now!
OH spaghetti squash is so easy you have to try it! I actually eat it all year around.
I love these squash boats! They look really delicious 🙂
Thanks they are super easy to prep ahead too on busy days. Have a great week
Ooh, this may be on the menu tonight. They look delicious. I could also use Daiya (because, vegan or not, sometimes a little cheesy goodness is needed).
I agree cheese is why I am not a vegan but a vegetarian. Hope you enjoy!
Yum! I am all about this! Great microwave tip!
Really makes it very easy to prepare. Thanks!
Looks yummy! We used to make something similar with zucchini!
yes that would be great too!
Great minds think alike, because I made spaghetti squash over the weekend for my lunch this week! I actually cooked it in my toaster oven on bake, then broiled for the last 3 minutes… holy cow it made it seem a bit denser and more pasta like! I loved it 🙂 Great recipe !!
Ooh yum that’s what I like about it-it’s so filling! Thanks
These look delish! Mostly I throw marinara and mozzarella on spag squash here. My squash crop in the garden is a disaster this year. Yield=zero. I need to get over it.
well I have no garden-what kind of veggie food blogger am I?? LOL tomato and mozz always works too
I haven’t made spaghetti squash in a while….I think I got bored with it because I always just topped it with spaghetti sauce….so I like this idea!
Well great hope you give it a try again thanks!
Love the simple list of ingredients! Plus, you made a bunch of veggies look like amazing comfort food. YUM!
Well thanks! They are great comfort food aren’t they?
Love!! Yours looks so much better than mine! I posted these last year or the year before when I was wanting tacos yet again but needed a way to switch things up!
I held out on pumpkin until the first day of fall…. well except for putting pumpkin and caramel candles out which came a little earlier because my other ones ran out and I wasn’t feeling more summer ones.
Favorite way to enjoy spaghetti squash…. hmm probably as a pasta with evoo, fresh or chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and pepper!
Spaghetti squash is also great with tomatoes and mozz well everything is really!
You always come up with such great recipes! These look so tasty!
Thanks so much! Have a great day 🙂
As somebody who is not a fan of pumpkin at all, I think the pumpkin hype is way over rated. To me, its up there with why the Christmas stuff comes out so early? Why?!?
I am right there with you. I like pumpkin but lets not go overboard people!
I love spaghetti squash!!! I just bake it, put some butter, basil, fresh tomatoes and onions on it and it is like heaven. I say go for the pumpkin, I have not yet but I plan on it in the next couple days. Thanks for sharing.
bakingrunner.blogspot.com
That sounds good too anything with tomatoes works for me!
I hadn’t thought about using the microwave. That’s a nice tip to know about. The water steams it? I like the flavor combinations you show here. I need to go to the store today – I may pick up some spaghetti squash and try this. Chris protests “meatless.” Perhaps I could crumble in some chorizo to go along with these flavors.
yes the water steams them exactly so easy! I guess you could throw in some meat yes 🙂
I have never made spaghetti squash in the microwave. They are so hard to cut into raw so I discovered if u put it in the oven for a few minutes then cut it before cooking it completely It is much easier. This sounds so tasty. I usually only put butter and brown sugar or tomato sauce and cheese on it.
So you can also poke a few holes and microwave for a few min before cutting them as well. So much easier to make them that way. Hope you try it out!
Looks great!
Thanks so much hope you enjoy!
Love how simple this is! Spaghetti squash is one of my favorites, just hate cutting into it – the skin is so tough! I’ve never done the southwestern thing with spaghetti squash not sure why!
How is it you managed to make squash actually look like one of those foods you eat for a yummy guilty pleasure! Wow this looks fabulous, and I don’t normally like squash, but I would totally eat this, YUM!
ha ha it’s hard not to like it when it’s loaded with all this yummy goodness right?!
I love spaghetti squash! So easy to create recipes with it and gluten-free!
Yes perfect for all kinds of eaters. Hope you check it out
Yum these look delicious and I love that I wouldn’t have to scrape them out we could just eat outta the bowls themselves =)
Eating right out of the shell is great for sure!
That looks delicious! The only thing I’ve ever stuffed were peppers!
You can stuff anything!! It’s easy to prepare in advance and then heat up
I love spaghetti squash! It makes such a great spaghetti substitute! In fact, I may like it better than traditional noodles.
This recipe looks a great way to switch up my spaghetti squash use.
And, I actually love pumpkin year round, so…
I do love pumpkin too I just think it’s gotten a little out of control of late. Hope you give it a try!
I love spaghetti squash, but I’ve never tried this. I just pinned it for later. I know my husband would like it, and I’m thinking my 4 year old would at least try it 🙂 I love that it’s an easy recipe too. I don’t like complicated. This I could do!
This you can definitely do!! It’s really super easy and great to prep ahead. Let me know if you give it a try!
Yum, I love spaghetti squash! These look so delicious and healthy – and great for an easy dinner!
Thanks I love it too!
Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite and the hubby came home from the store yesterday with one. We always just cook it , scrape the flash out and shred, add butter, and a little maple syrup, oh yeah, it is still healthy! 🙂 This looks even better- love it!
Thanks hope you give it a try! I’ve never had it with maple syrup intersting
wow – those look really good. I’m a big fan of southwester anything!! yum.
Me too put salsa and tomatoes in it and I am happy!
I’m making something with spaghetti squash tonight that also has ooey gooey cheese! I hope it comes out as good as this!
I am sure it will! Otherwise we might see your bf write about it again 🙂
I’ve never made spaghetti squash…too intimidated! But this looks amazing!
Do not fear the squash! LOL I have faith in you
This is perfect! I have some spaghetti squash in the fridge that I need to use 🙂
Great I hope you like it!
Oh this looks so good! I haven’t done spaghetti squash in a long time.
Thanks hope you enjoy it! It’s super easy too
I eat pumpkin year round LOL, but I’m not a fan of fake pumpkin things.
This sounds yummy. I may have to give it a try.
No me either! I just think it’s gone kind of crazy. It’s almost October so I can start eating it soon
genius idea! love spaghetti squash and never thought to use the boats to stuff yummy things. so smart and simple!
Thanks! Great to make ahead too and heat up for later.
I love spaghetti squash! I never thought of cooking it in the microwave though! I usually cook it whole in the over and flip it half way through…gets me the most perfect al dente “noodles”!
They get done a lot quicker in the microwave!
Your meatless Mondays always look so good and I say I am going to try it and then when it comes to my meal planning time I always forget about it! So I am putting a note in my phone because this looks amazing!
Oh you are so sweet thanks and I hope you enjoy 🙂
Love the concept of pulling it in a “boat.” Less dishes to wash!
Amen to that!!
i think i have a problem. I will need a larger “boat” haha! and cheese of course. it’s like all my favs in one post. YES
absolutely cheese!!
Yum!!! I love doing this with spaghetti squash. I usually refer to it as twice-baked spaghetti squash, but it sounds WAY more fun in boat form 😀
It does doesn’t it?! Thanks!
Spaghetti squash is one of the most versatile veggies. So many options for yummy recipes.
I know it’s just great!
Looks delicious! I love spaghetti squash! I actually have one I need to use!!!
Glad to be of assistance 🙂
saving this for later!! i love spaghetti squash and how easy it is to throw it in the microwave to soften it. the cheese on top is the best part =D
Love the cheese myself!
This looks good! I usually roast it with butter and salt and pepper in the oven. ANY TOPPINGS – such as these – are delish on spag. squash.
Thanks! I am all about the toppings
Yummy!! Love that it is spaghetti squash season now 🙂 It is one of my favorite veggies!
I know it’s so good isn’t it?!
When I visited my sister, her husband made some spaghetti squash boats – THE BEST 🙂
They are fun!
omg this looks delicious! I never would have thought to use spaghetti squash this way OR microwave them. the few times I’ve cooked them I use the oven but from what I remember I think that (obv) takes way longer. This is in season now right? Can’t wait to start eating it again! Though my BF doesn’t like it so I need to find tiny little ones for myself haha
Thanks! It is hard to find small ones. I am the only one in my house that eats them so I just eat it for a few days 🙂
Omygoodness what a great idea! I never thought of stuffing a spaghetti squash, it looks D-licious! Adding to my shopping list, def going to try! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy