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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 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.
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 758 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
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
If You Don’t Own a Microwave: Simply slice the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Pre-roast your squash for 15 minutes to start the cooking process, then continue the recipe as directed.
This post was originally published on September 30, 2019
I needed to add tomato paste to thicken and probably should have drained the tomatoes in the can. My ricotta concoction was slightly more watery than your picture. Overall was good, but took way longer than 55 minutes.
I am really glad it turned out so well for you Lydia! xTieghan
At what temperature do you bake the filled squash?
Hi Diane, bake the squash at 425. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I did this recipe and thank you for all these goodies!! But squash is a fruit and not a vegetable! ( it contains seeds)
I like your cooking ideas and i admire your work!! Beautiful!!
Thank you so much Pauline! I am so glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
These are so delish! The whole family enjoyed them. Left overs were tasty too. Did’t miss the noodles at all. Thanks for another great recipe. I will definitely make these again.
These are so delish! The whole family enjoyed them. Left overs were tasty too. Don’t miss the noodles at all. Thanks for another great recipe. I will definitely make these again.
Thank you! xTieghan
This was so delicious! I made my filling with veg (zucchini, bell pepper, kidney beans, olives, and mushrooms) instead of chicken. I will definitely make this again!
Thank you Mallory! xTieghan
What can I use as a substitute for a vegetarian option?
Hi Bob! I would replace the meat for 4 cups wild mushrooms, cooking them first, then adding the sauce ingredients right to the mushrooms. That will be so delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
This was really delicious! My squash took more time in the oven to cook completely but it was wonderful. Great recipe!
Thank you so much Caitlin! xTieghan
Me again! No need to reply. I was able to locate the old version on another website. Gosh this recipe is amazing!! Maybe you revamped it to make it gluten free. I’ll have to try the new version as well sometime. Thank you!
Hi Becca! I am so glad you love this still! That is amazing! Thank you! xTieghan
Hello! Did this recipe used to involve a roux (made with flour)? I swore it did. I came back to remake this and I can’t find your lasagna boat recipe that has a roux based cheese sauce. Maybe you revamped the recipe or I’m just losing it? Lol. Do you know which recipe I’m taking about? Thanks for your time. I love your blog.
Hey Becca! You are not crazy at all! This recipe did originally involve a roux, but I updated it this year and decided the roux was not needed. The way it is written now is easier and just as delicious and cheesy! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I made these last night, and they were a hit! My husband is trying to eat fewer carbs, so this was a perfect replacement for pasta. We gobbled them up! I think next time I make them, I will add a little more chicken to the sauce, and I think I’ll add a little less water. It was just a little runny, despite simmering for about 30 minutes. But overall, this recipe was fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Sarah!
Love your recipes! I made these last night, but was confused because the milk/ricotta mix you made in your video had a splash of milk, and in your printed recipe, it called for way more milk than ricotta, and I ended up with basically milk instead of a thick, cheesy sauce.
Hey Rachel,
Was your sauce runny after baking? In my IG video you only saw a short clip, I added additional milk after that clip to make the sauce pourable. I like the sauce looser this way. Of course, you can use less milk if you would prefer a thinner sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Love all your recipes! This looks amazing and I can’t wait to make it! ?
Thank you Marisol! xTieghan
Never really been one for spaghetti squash, but these will be absolutely delish, I know. On the
Menu this week along with the chicken apple butter one. I like the spiralizer veg dishes, but do not
Consider them pasta! Just not filling….
I am so glad you enjoyed this Joyce! xTieghan
Hi, Tieghan, off topic, but did I miss the wedding pics? Would love to see the festivities (including the food!).
Thanks!
You can see them on here!
Hi Lori! I posted a few of them, but the ones from the photographer we have not gotten back yet! They’re in my Nine Favorite Things post! xTieghan