Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (No Pre-Cooking!)

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (No Pre-Cooking!)

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: spaghetti squash, stuffed spaghetti squash

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 552kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

If you find working with spaghetti squash daunting, that’s because it usually does require a lot of time and effort. But this recipe is different! Instead of baking the squash ahead of time, this recipe has you stuff a raw squash with an easy lentil filling that ends up tasting like baked spaghetti— only with more veggies! It's ready to eat in about 1 hour, and most of that time is hands-off.

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Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash (about 3.5 pounds)
1 (15 ounce) can brown lentils (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
1 cup marinara sauce
fine sea salt
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and gooey inside, leaving behind the firm squash in the center. (Save the seeds for roasting later, if you'd like!)
To prepare the filling, drain and rinse the canned lentils, then transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add in the marinara sauce and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir well.
Place the squash, cut-side facing up, on a rimmed baking sheet and season the inside with salt. Divide the filling between the two halves, filling up the center cavity, then top each half with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 400ºF for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly. Let the squash cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then use a fork to scrape the tender squash into strands, and mix it in with the sauce. Season with additional salt, as needed, and enjoy warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Notes

Nutrition information is for one stuffed squash half. This information will vary depending on the size of the squash, the type of cheese you use, and the brand of marinara sauce.

For a vegan stuffed squash, feel free to omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese, instead.

Nutrition