These baked spaghetti squash alfredo boats are a warm and comforting vegetarian dish. A rich and creamy alfredo is mixed with fresh spinach and sundried tomatoes and baked with roasted spaghetti squash and mozzarella cheese.
This baked spaghetti squash alfredo is the perfect comfort food that is also packed full of veggies. Even my avid pasta lover husband goes crazy for this dish. It's creamy and cheesy but doesn't leave you feeling too weighed down afterwards.
Serve this comforting dish with a bowl of creamy tomato soup, crispy potato wedges or a side of baked asparagus.
For even more options to serve with this delicious dish, check out my post on what to eat with alfredo for all of the best recipes to eat with this warm and comforting vegetarian meal.
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🧀 Ingredient notes
- Spaghetti Squash - This squash gets its name because when it's cooked, the flesh can be scraped out and it looks like spaghetti strands. It's a great low carb way to get in extra veggies without having real pasta.
- Sauce - My creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce is mixed with sundried tomatoes and fresh spinach. It's the same alfredo I use for Baked Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells and Baked Tortellini Alfredo. The veggies can be omitted for a more plain version and alternatively, store bought alfredo sauce can be used as well.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- No Shell - The spaghetti squash can be served with the alfredo on it's own instead of baking it with extra cheese in the shell.
- Lighter - For a lighter version of this dish, replace the heavy cream with milk and opt for low fat cheese.
- Meat - If you like meat with your alfredo, grilled chicken, mini meatballs, sliced italian sausage or even shrimp to the alfredo sauce.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, slice the squash in half and remove the seeds from the middle. Brush the squash with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to bake while you make the alfredo sauce.
To make the alfredo sauce, melt the butter in a skillet and cook the garlic in it for just a minute. Whisk in the flour to make a paste, called a roux, and then mix in the heavy cream, milk and parmesan cheese.
Next, mix in the spinach and sundried tomatoes and set it aside until the squash is done cooking. When the squash is done roasting, use a fork to scrape the flesh to release the strands from the shell.
Mix the spaghetti squash strands with the alfredo sauce so the strands are all coated with the sauce. Divide the mixture into the empty squash shells and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake the spaghetti squash in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
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⭐ Expert tips
- Add the heavy cream and milk to the sauce slowly while whisking to make sure you don't have any lumps in the sauce.
- Make sure the squash is fork tender before removing it from the oven so that the strands easily release from the shell.
- Be careful when scraping the squash to remove the strands so the shells do not rip. Not all of the strands need to be removed, but most of them should come out easily.
- If the cheese is not browning, the broiler can be turned on briefly to help it brown quickly.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
Both the squash and alfredo can be prepared separately and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead of time. At serving time, mix the squash with alfredo, place them back in the shells, top with cheese and bake until it is heated through and the cheese is melted.
The boats can be fully assembled and stored wrapped tightly in plastic wrap up to 2 days ahead of time. Remove the plastic wrap from the squash and bake in the oven until they are heated through and the cheese is melted.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or oven.
🥘 More vegetarian dinners
If you loved this recipe for baked spaghetti squash alfredo, try these other vegetarian dinners that I know you will love too!
- Creamy Mushroom Risotto
- Roasted Asparagus and Pea Casarecce
- Roasted Eggplant and Spinach Penne
- Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone
📖 Recipe
Baked Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Alfredo Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, approximately 2-3 cloves
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Assembly
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove and discard any seeds in the middle of the squash.
- Lay squash on the prepared baking sheet cut side up. Brush the insides of both halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast squash in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until fork tender.
Tuscan Alfredo
- While the squash is roasting, preheat a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop with the butter until it melts.
- Add in the chopped garlic and cook, while stirring for 1 minute until the garlic is just lightly browned.
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter and garlic and mix until it is incorporated together into a paste.
- While whisking, slowly add in the heavy cream, milk, and parmesan cheese and continue to whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove the sauce off of the heat and stir in the sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach, salt, and pepper.
Assembly
- Once the squash is finished roasting, remove it from the oven and using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash to release the strands.
- Add the spaghetti strands into the pan with the prepared alfredo sauce and toss to coat the strands with the sauce.
- Divide the spaghetti squash mixture even into the squash shells and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
- Place the squash back in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Notes
- Add the heavy cream and milk to the sauce slowly while whisking to make sure there are no lumps in the sauce.
- Make sure the squash is fork tender before removing it from the oven so that the strands easily release from the shell.
- Be careful when scraping the squash to remove the strands so the shells do not rip. Not all of the strands need to be removed, but most of them should come out easily.
- If the cheese is not browning, the broiler can be turned on briefly to help brown it at the end.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spaghetti Squash - This squash gets its name because when it's cooked, the flesh can be scraped out and looks like spaghetti strands. It's a great low carb way to get in extra veggies without having real pasta.
- Sauce - The spinach and sundried tomatoes can be omitted from the sauce for a plain alfredo. Store bought alfredo sauce can be used as well.
- No Shell - The spaghetti squash can be served with the alfredo on it's own instead of baking it with extra cheese in the shell.
- Lighter - For a lighter version of this dish, replace the heavy cream with milk and opt for low fat cheese.
- Meat - If you like meat with your alfredo, grilled chicken, mini meatballs, sliced italian sausage or even shrimp to the alfredo sauce.
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