Comforting Food doesn’t need to be full of carbs, right? I can prove what I’m saying with this super delicious Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe. It’s also gluten-free. Enjoy!
I made this Bolognese sauce two weeks ago, inspired by my Turkey Bolognese Zucchini Pasta, and it was amazing. Let’s start this post by saying that I wasn’t very sure that this recipe was going to turn out SO GOOD. I thought it wasn’t going to be as good as the regular Bolognese sauce recipe because I didn’t make it with bacon and fatty ground beef, veal or pork. Instead I used extra-lean ground turkey and I replaced the fat from the bacon for 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Although I made all these changes this sauce is still very flavorful. Believe me!
For this Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, I also used two cans of San Marzano tomatoes. These are the best canned tomatoes, you can possibly find just because these tomatoes have very good flavor and texture. They are also sweet and less acidy. So, using a good canned tomato is essential to make this sauce good. If the tomatoes are not good, your sauce won’t be either since the main star of this sauce are the tomatoes.
What is really important to make a recipe good or not is the quality of the ingredients. If you choose the best ingredients for your recipes, they’ll be very tasty for sure. I normally buy my cans of San Marzano Tomatoes at Costco, because they always have the best deals. But you can find it at amazon.com as well.
Also, I used extra-lean ground turkey for this Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe because we only need good fat to our diets and not the bad ones. This meat is lean, but when it is combined with the rest of the ingredients, it is very tasty. The sauce is delicious and if you leave it simmering for longer than 1 hour it will be even better.
So, while your sauce is simmering you can roast your spaghetti squash, but if you have already your sauce completely done and you don’t want to wait 40 minutes for your squash to be ready, you can use your microwave to prepare it. See the instructions below. Spaghetti squash is such a great ingredient – I use it all the time, check out my Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp, Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe, and Whole30 Low-Carb Spaghetti Squash With Meatballs if you want to make more recipes with it.
Hope you enjoy this Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash as much as me. As always I can’t forget to say that this recipe is also gluten-free and low-carb.
Craving another simple easy dinner? Try this One-Pan Shrimp Spaghetti! It’s such an easy and delicious recipe, especially if you’re craving some carbs.
Love this Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe? Let’s try to make it!
Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Primavera Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onions diced
- 1 cup carrot diced
- 1 cup celery dived (2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 big garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp red pepper crushed
- 1 lb organic extra-lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 cans (2 28oz) diced tomato I used the San Marzano Tomato can
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 spaghetti squashes
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
For the Sauce
- In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook 4-5 minutes until they are soft and golden.
- Add carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper and red pepper crushed.
- Cook everything for about 3 minutes.
- Add extra-lean ground turkey. Cook the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and stir occasionally until the meat has browned.
- Deglaze with the wine and reduce until almost dry.
- Add diced tomato and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, pesto and bay leaves.
- Cover and once you’ve reached the boiling point, lower the heat to bring to a low simmer. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
For the Spaghetti Squash
- Pierce the whole spaghetti squashes many times with a fork.
- Place one spaghetti squash on a microwave safe dish and microwave on medium-high for 5 minute.
- Rotate spaghetti squash and microwave for 5 minutes more. In total you will microwave your squash for 10 minutes. But of course the time will depend on the power of your microwave and on the size of the spaghetti squash.
- Remove from microwave and repeat the process with the other spaghetti squash. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
- Scoop the seeds with a spoon.
- Gently scrape the sides of the squash with a fork to shred the pulp into strands. Pour 1 cup of the Bolognese sauce on top of each squash halves. (You can freeze the rest of the sauce and enjoy it in another recipes.)
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Tips
- You can keep the spaghetti squash seeds and roast them like you would with pumpkin seeds.
- San Marzano tomatoes are amazing and delicious and I highly recommend buying them if possible.
- If you do not have ground turkey, ground beef or chicken will be in a pinch.
- To store: Once cooked, stuffed spaghetti squash should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it'll keep for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: You can microwave leftover stuffed spaghetti squash.
- To freeze: Freeze for up to 3-4 months in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
And if you like this Easy Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, please share with your friends and family. Do you wanna taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, Instagram and Facebook for all delicious recipes updates. As always, you are really appreciated for stopping by.
Gaurav Bhai says
Your Photography is awesome <3 😀
Olivia says
Thank you!
Ada says
I really want to make this recipe but I don’t have a microwave. Would you please suggest how to cook the squash using an oven? Thank you!
Olivia says
Click here to see the instructions for how to cook squash in the oven 😉
Adrieke says
I assume you mean 1 lb of ground turkey? 5 lbs seems like an awful lot!
Looking forward to trying this one!
Olivia says
Absolutely. I’m sorry for that. And thanks for pointing it out 😉
Lorraine Ryan says
I’ve been tempted many times to make spaghetti squash but my Italian genes bristled at the thought of not cooking with pasta. But thus recipe looks really good and I’m going to give it a try.
Olivia says
I totally understand what you mean, but please give it a try. You’ll love it 😉
Amelia Sheesley says
This recipe turned out AMAZING, and it really tastes like you’re eating pasta! We steamed the squash, added more garlic, and a little oregano, and we forgot to buy broth so we just added more red wine (used a Merlot) and HOLY COW it was so freaking good. Also, it seems like a long time but I really think letting it all simmer together the full hour made a big flavor difference and I would highly recommend being patient and letting it sit the whole time (even though you might be tempted to take it off before because it smells so good). 10/10 would recommend!!!!
Olivia says
I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this review. 🙂
Sarah says
What can I sub for the red wine? Thanks!
Olivia says
You can skip red wine if you prefer.
Monte Landaker says
Hello Olivia, my wife just loves spaghetti squash but i’ve never tried it. Shes on her Keto diet right now and i think it’s time for me to man up and put my big boy pants on and give these squash a try! These look awesome Olivia. People say you eat with your eyes, your photography of these finished recipes are making me hungry. Thank you!
Olivia says
You’re very welcome.Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback 😉