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Taking the classic lasagna and making it just a touch healthier with these cute (cheesy) Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats. Seasonal spaghetti squash 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.
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.
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 healthier.
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 ragu 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, 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 mix up 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 these boats. 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.
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!
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Love love loved this!!!! I’d never heard of spaghetti squash before and didn’t know if it was even available here in England. I randomly saw some in the supermarket and knew I had to make this recipe!! This was so delicious and while I’ve roasted garlic before I’d never added to a sauce in this way…. It’s a game changer!!!!
Hey Toni,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend!🍁
Are there really meant to be 6 servings when there are 4 squash halves? Kind of impractical to divide into thirds
Hi Katie,
One squash half is a pretty large serving size for one person, I typically find that 6 people can enjoy these, but 4 is great too! I hope you love the recipe! xT
Delicious! I used ground chicken and added all the spices you suggested. I used my homemade tomato sauce which has ground fennel seeds in it which added a flavor boost. Even my non- vegetable loving husband liked it. Thanks!
Hey Kate,
Happy Sunday! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try!🍂 xT
How would you recommend reheating a leftover, fully cooked “boat”? (Delicious by the way. If I could have stuffed it in, there wouldn’t be a leftover! )
Hey Jeannette,
Lol so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I would cover with foil and reheat on low in the oven. Have a great day! xT
This was a wonderful fall recipe!
Hi Sherry,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xT
Simply divine! I had larger spaghetti squash so I roasted them for 30 mins prior to filling as suggested in the notes. I roasted the garlic with the squash and then used some of the roasted garlic in the filling. Delectable, cozy and delicious.
Hey Shelby,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks so much for making it!
Looking forward to trying this. Thanks for including the directions for those of us who do not own or use a microwave 🙂
I hope you love the recipe Anne-Marie!
This is so good. I’ve made it multiple times. Some of your tips about how to microwave it first are so helpful.
Hey Lori,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
This dish was very good. I was confused as to if they oven, for baking, needed to be on 425 degrees or not. I turned the oven down to 350 and had to cook the squash 20 more minutes. But other than my confusion, it was wonderful. Family ate it up. 🙂
Hi Piper,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Can I freeze these after they are fully loaded up and cooked?
Thanks in advance for your reply
Can I freeze these after they are fully loaded up and cooked?
Thanks in advance for your reply
We love these and have made them quite a few times. Mmmm, Delicious!
Hey there! Yes, that should work just fine 🙂 xxTieghan
This is such a yummy recipe!! I did it with ground turkey and added spices to bump up the flavor. The roasted garlic is a MUST!
Hi Cathy! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy Weekend 🙂 xTieghan
Wow! This dish was such a big hit with my adult children last night. I took the advice in comments and roasted the squash for 30 minutes beforehand. I then scraped up the strands and followed the recipe to fill the boats exactly as written. This recipe is absolutely delicious and will be repeated again soon!
Hi Penny! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂 xTieghan
Sauce and cheese mixture had great flavor. Personally I like more sauce to squash ratio and also I like my squash cooked a little longer (probably like mine overcooked) so next time I will use same recipe but cook 1 or 2 small squash 40 mins then scrape up and mix with sauce and then top with cheese mixture and cook 10-15 mins more. Great flavor though I loved the roasted garlic in the sauce!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I hope you loved it! Have a great week 🙂 xTieghan
I made this tonight. Filling and topping were amazing. My only issue was that my spaghetti squash was not completely cooked even though I added extra cooking time. Next time I make this recipe, I will partially bake the squash prior to filling and baking as directed.
I am always so impressed with the creativity of your recipes. Keep up the awesome work!
Delish! First time making spaghetti squash and this recipe was so easy! A hit with the whole family… will absolutely make again!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan