This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Taking the classic lasagna and making it just a touch healthier with these cute (cheesy) Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats. Seasonal spaghetti squash boats stuffed with a spicy chicken, tomato-based ragu sauce, and creamy cheesy béchamel sauce made with fresh ricotta and provolone cheeses. It’s all baked together until the sauce is bubbling hot and the cheese is melted and perfect. This is an easy, delicious, gluten-free, and slightly healthier way to enjoy the classic flavors of lasagna. Bonus? This is the perfect recipe for low key entertaining with friends all season long.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
I’ve probably said this before, but I don’t think spaghetti squash gets nearly enough love. This time of year I tend to see a whole lot of pumpkin, some butternut squash, and sometimes acorn squash is occasionally thrown into the mix too. But spaghetti squash? Not so much.
I personally love spaghetti squash. My mom used to roast it in the oven and serve it simply with butter and salt. That’s my mom, noodles, butter, and salt. She could live off of that…and she would…if she didn’t have to eat my cooking every day.
Watch Me Make These Boats on Instagram:
Thanks to my mom, I’ve had a strong love for spaghetti squash since I was a kid. It’s one of the only vegetables I feel that can truly replace real deal pasta. I’m never bummed or left feeling unsatisfied after a spaghetti squash dinner. It’s always so delicious.
Enter these cute little spaghetti squash lasagna boats that I love so much. These are just like your classic lasagna only made low-carb.
Here are the details
Start with the garlic. If you’ve never roasted garlic before, I’m here to tell you that it’s truly amazing. Slow roasted garlic loses it’s intense garlic flavor and instead takes on a soft sweetness. It’s delicious and so simple to do…like so simple. Just drizzle an entire head of garlic with a little olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast in the oven until the garlic turns a pretty, golden color.
And that’s it. Then mash the garlic into a paste and stir it into the tomato sauce…
Which brings me to the next step! While the garlic roasts, make the sauce. I like to use spicy Italian chicken sausage for extra flavor, but you can also use ground chicken, ground turkey, or even ground beef. All will work great. Then just add tomatoes and herbs, and simmer for a bit to thicken the sauce up. Stir in the roasted garlic. And that’s that.
Tip: if you’re short on time, you can skip roasting the garlic, but I will say that the roasted garlic really adds such a nice flavor to the sauce.
Next, prep the spaghetti squash. I like to microwave the squash for a few minutes to make it easier to cut in half. I know all too well that cutting through spaghetti squash can be super dangerous. Microwaving the squash makes it so much easier to cut. Trust me on this.
Of course, if you don’t own a microwave, you can easily just skip the step. But I would pre-roast your squash in the oven for 15 minutes to start the cooking process.
Now, for the cheesy béchamel sauce. It’s a simple mixture of milk, fresh ricotta, fontina, and provolone cheeses. I added fresh basil and some nutmeg for warmth.
OK. Now you have all your layers, let’s assemble the spaghetti squash shell. Just layer the ragu sauce and the béchamel sauce inside the spaghetti squash. Top with cheese and bake until the squash is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbling up. One word to say here, YUM.
Top with fried sage and or fresh thyme. Not necessary, but I highly recommend. Why? Because it’s GOOD, and everything is better (and prettier) topped with herbs.
I really can’t begin to express just how good these lasagna boats are. They’ve been a favorite recipe of mine for years and I love making them every fall. They require a little cooking time, but they’re an easy, super-cozy dinner than you can throw together any night of the week. And? They are definitely special enough to serve guests for a smaller dinner party. Everyone loves getting a personalized lasagna boat.
Some serving suggestions for you
I recommend serving these with your favorite autumn side salad, this kale salad or this brussels sprout salad would both be great options.
Or? Just serve them on their own because remember, spaghetti squash is a vegetable! And it’s SO GOOD. Buttery, saucy, and a little cheesy. All the classic flavors of traditional lasagna, just on the lighter side.
Nothing not to love! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
If you make these roasted garlic spaghetti squash lasagna boats be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch the how to video:
Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 head garlic
- 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage or ground chicken
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 can (28 ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- fresh thyme and or fried sage leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose some of the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and wrap in foil. Transfer to the oven and roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the garlic out into a bowl. Mash the cloves with a fork. 2. To make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion and cook another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, the bay leaf, oregano, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the roasted garlic. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.3. Meanwhile, poke a few holes into the squash with a fork and place on a plate. Microwave 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and discard. 4. In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, ricotta cheese, nutmeg, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup fontina cheese and 1/2 cup provolone cheese. 5. Place the squash in a baking dish and season the cut sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining fontina cheese into the bottom of each squash, then evenly divide meat sauce among the squash cavities. Now spoon the milk/cheese mix over the meat sauce. Top with the remaining provolone cheese. Cover the squash loosely with foil. 6. Transfer to the oven and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15-20 minutes or until the squash is tender and the cheese is golden brown on top. The squash will seem a little soupy, this is OK. 7. Let the squash sit 5 minutes, then use a fork to scrape the squash into strands, mixing the meat and cheese with the squash. Serve topped with thyme and sage.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Absolutely delicious!!! Another great recipe, I love the uniqueness of baking the sauce in the squash and the cheesy goodness on top is just fantastic. I took the suggestion of Jackie to cook the squash a little longer and it was spot on! I also took the suggestion from Instagram to use a little red wine…seriously an amazing dish.
Thanks so much! 🙂 xTieghan
My husband and I were in heaven last night. These lasagna squash boats are delicious. Followed the recipe almost exactly. Increased the microwave time to 4 minutes. Added a bit of grated parm to the bottom and top of the boats. Can’t wait to make these again.
Good flavor, but not enough sauce. Maybe I did something wrong? Also ended up with enough for a small army with 2 large squashes. 1/2 a squash served 1 person very well.
Hi Michael! So sorry to hear that you weren’t pleased with the sauce. Was there something different done when making the recipe? Hope I can help. xTieghan
Do you think skim milk and low fat ricotta would work? Looks soooo good but I’m watching my calories
Hi Taylor,
Yes, those would be just fine to use. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi there! If you bake all 4 portions but only serve two, can you freeze them? Thank you kind,y, Bettina
Hey Bettina,
I would not bake the 2 that you want to freeze:) Just wrap them up once assembled. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was so good and very filling. The spaghetti squash are so large right now, I was able to use one squash for 4 good size portions. I am not a fan of pasta so the alternatives are great. This taste exactly like lasagna. Looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.
Hey there,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
So yummy… I made two boats and the left over sauce will be used for spaghetti another night. Didn’t use fontina or provolone cheese, just the ricotta and an “italian blend” shredded cheese.
oh and couldn’t find spicy chicken sausage, so used spicy beef italian sausage meat instead
Hey Sue,
Happy Friday!! I so appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Most spaghetti squash boat recipes I have made, ask you to string up the squash before adding the toppings. In this one it appears you bake the squash (intact) with the toppings, then each person “strings” it. Am I understanding correctly? Thanks!
Hey Cynthia,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
We loved this thank you for the recipe! Made a version with beyond meat mince and it came out great.
Hey Paula,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
This is in my top 3 for favorite HBH recipes! Tastes like something at a restaurant on date night! You know, the place you have been wanting to check out but refuse to bring your kids to?! Soooo delicious!!
Hey Niki,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
can i substitute with butternut squash? xx
Hey Joss,
Sorry, the spaghetti squash is needed to get the “spaghetti” effect, the butternut squash will not provide this! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
I am so bummed- I wanted to love this…
The flavors are delicious but the spaghetti squash is completely raw and inedible. I even cooked it longer than the recipe called for but unfortunately I can’t even scrape any of it loose.
Next time I will precook the squash before filling.
Hey Jodi,
So sorry about this, was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
baking now! What temp do you bake the finished product at is my only question!?!
Hey Sylvia,
As stated in step 1, you will bake at 425. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were SOO good. I’m giving 4 instead of 5 stars because I think it would have been even better if the squash had been roasted on its own for a bit beforehand so they could get a little more tender and caramelized before adding in the ragu and roasting more. Next time, I will microwave the squash, split it open, clean it out, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I have made this recipe 4 times in the past 8 weeks. Always perfectly delicious and an immediate family favorite. I now keep the ingredients on hand. Fun variations include adding Italian meatballs and cooking longer in the microwave for less oven time. Sharing this home run with all my friends.
Thanks Tiegan
Hey Patti,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Super easy to make and delicious!
Hey Juliana,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan