Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna! These lasagna boats are a yummy vegetarian dinner perfect for fall and winter. Layered with cheese, plant-based marinara sauce, and ricotta. Yum!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces plant-based ground, like Beyond or Impossible
- 28 ounces canned tomato sauce*
- 1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
- 1 clove minced garlic
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup ricotta
- very small pinch nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Poke spaghetti squash all over with a fork. Place in the microwave for 5 minutes as this will make slicing the squash easier. Let cool, then slice in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds.
- Rub the halved squash with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place in a baking dish and add water about 1/3 of the way up. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
- While the squash is cooking, make the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic cloves and the plant-based meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add in the tomato sauce and a pinch of salt. Depending on what canned tomatoes you use will depend on how much salt you add. I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste from there. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate small skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil and the spinach. Cook until just wilted, adding in a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes to season. Let cool slightly, then remove and finely chop. Stir into the ricotta cheese along with the 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and nutmeg.
- Remove the squash from the oven and stuff with half of the ricotta cheese.** Top each squash half with the tomato sauce and cover with the mozzarella cheese. Return back to the oven and cover. Bake for 20 more minutes, then remove the cover and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly, browned and hot. Serve with more warmed sauce, if desired.
Notes
This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
*15 ounces of sauce will be enough to cover the boats for baking, I call for extra sauce because I like topping the boats with even more sauce once they come out of the oven-- but I also love sauce and saucy lasagna. If you don't, then just use 15 ounces of sauce. You can also use 28 ounces of whole tomatoes, crush the tomatoes with your hands, and then add the rest of the canned tomato juice to the skillet to create a sauce.
**I like the squash served like a layered lasagna boat-- the squash, ricotta, sauce and cheese. Alternatively, you can remove the squash strands with a fork after baking until tender, then mixing with the ricotta and a little sauce, then returning back to the squash containers and cover with more sauce and cheese and bake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 993kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 55gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 3164mgPotassium: 2433mgFiber: 20gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 5396IUVitamin C: 52mgCalcium: 954mgIron: 10mg