This is the first spaghetti squash recipe my husband asked me to make again. He loves it—and he’s not wrong. It’s the best spaghetti squash dish I’ve ever tasted. It caused a bit of a stir on Instagram because until now it was a newsletter-only recipe.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- All the familiar flavors of spinach-artichoke dip, combined with roasted spaghetti squash;
- Satisfying and filling without leaving you feeling heavy;
- Great for meal prep and makes a wonderful make-ahead dinner.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti squash – a satisfying pasta alternative. Use one medium or large squash; I prefer roasting it in the oven for the best texture.
- Artichoke hearts – I keep prepared artichokes in the pantry or freezer. Frozen steamed or jarred packed-in-water artichokes both work well.
- Shallots – milder than onions and ideal when a small amount of onion flavor is needed.
- Garlic – fresh garlic provides the best flavor. I keep peeled garlic in the fridge for convenience.
- Spinach – you can use frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or fresh spinach steamed until wilted and well drained.
- Greek yogurt – plain, unsweetened. For a dairy-free version try a thick vegan yogurt or vegan cream cheese (see substitutions).
- Mayonnaise – I often use soy-free Vegenaise or Primal Kitchen vegan avocado oil mayo. Regular mayo works too.
- Parmesan – grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano adds savory depth. Use a vegan parmesan if desired.
- Mozzarella – shredded mozzarella to melt on top; add more if you prefer a cheesier finish.
- Crushed red pepper – a pinch adds a subtle kick; increase to taste.
How to make it?
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the halves cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30–45 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Test by inserting a fork between the flesh and skin and gently raking out strands. Let the squash cool cut-side up until you can handle it. If you plan to bake the filled boats immediately, leave the oven on and raise the temperature to 425°F.
- Use a fork to rake the squash into spaghetti-like strands, pulling across the width of each half and trying not to pierce the skin so the boats hold together.
- In a food processor, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts with the shallots and garlic.
- If your processor is large enough, add the spinach, Greek yogurt, mayo, grated Pecorino, shredded mozzarella, and crushed red pepper and pulse a few times to combine. Otherwise, transfer the chopped artichokes, shallots, and garlic to a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients. Taste and season with salt and pepper—spaghetti squash itself is mild, so be generous with seasoning.
- Toss the squash strands with the spinach-artichoke mixture until evenly combined. Spoon the filling into the squash boats, place them on a parchment-lined sheet (I reuse the baking sheet), and bake at 425°F for about 25 minutes, until heated through, lightly browned, and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4–5 days and reheat in the microwave or covered in a saucepan with a splash of water until warmed through.
Tips
- Make-ahead: Roast the squash and rake the strands 2–3 days ahead. The spinach-artichoke filling keeps for a day in the fridge. You can fill the boats and refrigerate them until ready to bake, or bake in advance and reheat when needed. If baking from chilled, let them sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes before putting them in the oven so they aren’t ice cold; use a metal skewer to check that they’re heated through.
Substitutions
- Dairy-free: This can likely be made dairy-free by swapping vegan shredded mozzarella, vegan parmesan, and a thick vegan yogurt or vegan cream cheese for the dairy components. I haven’t tested every combination, but these swaps should work in the same proportions.
If you try this recipe, snap a photo and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your creations. I appreciate when readers leave a rating and review. Subscribe for free to receive my latest recipes and updates. If you enjoyed this one, I taught it in my online class last year—give me an hour a month and I’ll help you become a better, healthier cook.
5 from 2 votes
Spinach-Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Boats
By Pamela
Servings: 4 -6
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Ingredients
- 1 medium or large spaghetti squash
- Unrefined olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Spinach-Artichoke Filling:
- 10 ounces artichoke hearts frozen/defrosted or packed in water, drained
- ¼ cup chopped shallots
- 1 medium clove garlic
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I do this in a thin clean kitchen towel) or 10 ounces fresh spinach, steamed in a little water until wilted and excess water pressed out
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Vegenaise or mayonnaise, I use soy-free Vegenaise or Primal Kitchen Vegan avocado oil mayo. Mayonnaise is just oil and, if not vegan, egg yolks. No need to freak out about it.
- ⅔ cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (I go light on the cheese, but feel free to add more.)
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rub the inside of each half with a drizzle of olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Arrange cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Test them by inserting a fork between the flesh and the skin and try to rake the strands. Set aside cut-side up until they are cool enough to handle. Leave oven on if baking boats immediately and RAISE TEMP TO 425°F.
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Using a fork, pull the strands of squash crosswise from the peel so that it resembles spaghetti, trying not to cut through the squash skin.
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In a food processor, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts with the shallots and garlic.
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If your food processor is large enough, you can add the spinach, yogurt, vegenaise, pecorino, mozzarella, and crushed red pepper and do a few pulses to combine or transfer to a large bowl to mix. Take a little taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Spaghetti squash is pretty bland, so this should be well-seasoned.
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In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti squash strands with the spinach-artichoke filling and mix until well combined. Fill spaghetti squash boats with the prepared filling and bake (at 425 F) on a parchment lined baking sheet (I use the same one I roasted the squash in) for 25 minutes, until hot, lightly browned and cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in a microwave or covered in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of water until heated through.
Notes
It may be possible to make this dairy-free with vegan mozzarella, vegan Parmesan, and a thick vegan yogurt or vegan cream cheese. I haven’t tested every combination, but those swaps should work.
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