UntrainedChef
Baked Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce - baked, beef recipe

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

1 hr 20 min
2 portions

The squash becomes the bowl — fill it with meat sauce, top with cheese, and bake until golden. A fun autumn dinner the whole family gets excited about.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Brush the flesh with oil and place the halves cut-side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

  2. 2

    Roast at 180 °C for 10 minutes. Flip them cut-side up and roast for another 10 minutes, until the flesh is soft.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and carrot. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the onion, garlic, and carrot until soft and translucent. Tip the vegetables into a bowl.

  4. 4

    In the same pan, fry the minced meat until browned, then add the chopped tomatoes. Stir the vegetables back in.

  5. 5

    Use a fork to scrape the squash flesh out in long strands — leave about a centimetre of flesh inside the skin. Mix the squash strands into the meat sauce.

  6. 6

    Fill the squash shells with the meat sauce and scatter grated cheese and parmesan on top. Gratinate in the oven for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is golden.

Per average serving

875
Calories
kcal
39.2
Protein
g
62.1
Carbs
g
56.8
Fat
g
13.7g
Fiber
27g
Sugar
1110mg
Sodium

Tips from the kitchen

  • A 1.2 kg squash is dense, so press the knife in slowly and rock it through the length. Microwaving the whole squash for 3-4 minutes first softens the skin and makes that first cut a lot safer.
  • Roast the halves cut-side down to start. The flesh steams against the tray and cooks faster, then flipping them up for the last 10 minutes lets the surface dry out so it isn't watery when you scrape it.
  • Test the squash with a fork before you scrape. If the strands pull away cleanly and feel tender, it's ready. Underdone squash comes out crunchy and won't separate into strands.
  • Leave about a centimetre of flesh on the skin so the shells hold their shape when you fill them. Scrape too close and they collapse in the oven.
  • Brown the minced meat properly before the tomatoes go in. Let it sit in the hot pan a minute without stirring so it picks up color, otherwise it just greys and steams.

Ways to vary it

  • Swap the minced beef for minced pork or a mix of both if that's what you have in the fridge.
  • A spoonful of pesto or a handful of chopped basil stirred through the sauce works nicely if you want a more summery version.
  • For a meat-free night, leave out the mince and add a tin of drained lentils or white beans to the tomato base instead.

Storage & leftovers

The filled squash keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. It doesn't freeze well since the strands turn mushy once thawed, so eat it fresh. Reheat in the oven at 180 °C for about 15 minutes so the cheese crisps up again rather than going rubbery in the microwave.

What to serve with it

A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the cheese nicely, and some warm bread is good for mopping up the sauce left in the shell.

UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 21 May 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026

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