SPAGHETTI SQUASH LASAGNA BOATS
All the cozy comfort of lasagna, yet gluten free and low carb. So good you’ll never miss the pasta!
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 smaller spaghetti squash about 5 pounds total
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 pound hamburger 85/15
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese the powdered stuff is fine
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
To prepare the spaghetti squash
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Use a heavy, sharp knife to cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place it cut side down in a roasting pan. You can add a little water and cover with foil if you like, but it’s not necessary.
- Cook for 30 to 55 minutes depending on size. The squash is done when it’s easily pierced with a knife. When it’s cooked, set it aside until cool enough to handle.
To prepare the filling
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook stirring frequently until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir just until fragrant.
- (If you’re a good multi-tasker you can start the cheese layer while this cooks.)
- Add the ground beef, the salt and one teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook until browned, breaking up into small crumbles. Drain excess fat.
- Add the tomato sauce, stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low and let this simmer.
- Next, we make the cheesy layer. In a small food processor or mixing bowl with hand mixer, blend together the cottage cheese, egg, parmesan and about half the mozzarella and half teaspoon Italian seasoning.
To assemble the lasagna boats
- When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle; carefully use a fork to shred and remove the inside of the squash to make a boat. Be sure to leave about an inch of squash all around in the shell. Try not to poke through the shell or your lasagna innards will spill out when it bakes.
- Mix the shredded squash you remove into the meat mixture. This is getting so good!!!
- Back in your baking pan (clean it out if it’s messy) arrange the squash halves like bowls.
- This next step depends on whether you used 2 small or 1 large squash. You can figure this out, it’s layers. You can’t mess this up.
- Take half of the meat and mixture divide it between the bottoms of each shell.
- Take half the cheesy layer and spoon it over the meat, dividing between the shells.
- Repeat the meat layer using the remaining meat mixture. It’s possible you’ll have too much of the meat mixture so be sure to leave room for the last cheesy layer.
- Top with the remaining cheese layer . . . dividing evenly . . . you get it.
- Sprinkle the tops of the filled shells with the remaining cup of mozzarella.
- Diva Tip – Make now –bake later! At this point this dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days. Just add 15 minutes to the cooking time if it’s coming right out of the fridge.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and browned. If you like your cheese more browned, place the squash under the broiler for a minute or two. Serve immediately.
Notes
Diva Tip – You may have more filling than you can use in the boats. Don’t cry, we should all have such problems. You can bake it in a ramekin or custard cup, add it to an omelet, use it to fill a tortilla, or just eat it with a spoon.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!