Spaghetti Squash Taco Boats are a low carb alternative to taco pasta and make a delicious, easy and healthy meal. They are also a fun presentation and can be made ahead of time for weekly meal prep.
I’ve had a lot of fun cooking with spaghetti squash this year, and these taco boats are one of my new favorites.
You don’t have to serve them in the squash shells, but it does make for a fun presentation!
Ingredients
- Cooked spaghetti squash
- Lean ground turkey or ground beef
- Minced garlic
- Chopped onion
- Taco seasoning
- Black beans
- Water
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro
Spaghetti squash: There are three ways to cook spaghetti squash that I’ve tried: oven, microwave, and pressure cooker/Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is by far my favorite method because it cooks the squash so much faster than the other methods, and you can cook the squash whole. But any of these methods will work for this recipe.
Taco seasoning: You can use your favorite store-bought brand, or you can make homemade seasoning. I’ve included the ingredients in the recipe card if you want to make your own.
Canned beans: I like black beans, but you can use pinto beans or kidney beans.
Cheese: Cheddar cheese works great, or try pepper jack cheese, Monterey jack, or a Mexican cheese blend.
How to Make Taco Boats with Spaghetti Squash
Slice the cooked spaghetti squash in half and use a fork to separate the flesh into strands. Set the squash aside.
Cook the ground turkey, garlic, and onions in a large skillet. Once the turkey is browned, drain the excess fat from the pan and then mix in the taco seasoning.
Add the beans, tomatoes, and water to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened.
Place the squash halves on a baking sheet. Top the squash with the taco meat and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Bake the taco boats for five minutes or so at 400°F. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top for garnish.
Recipe Tips
Squash size: I recommend choosing small spaghetti squash that weighs about 2 lbs. It’s a good size for serving the taco filling in the shell. Also, if you are cooking the squash with the Instant Pot, a two-pound one will fit in a 6-quart pot.
Serving Tips: If you don’t want to serve these in the spaghetti squash, you can scrape out the flesh (be sure to use a fork to separate it into strands) and place it in bowls with the taco meat and toppings on top.
Meal Prep: If want to make these for meal prep, I recommend removing the cooked spaghetti squash strands from the squash and placing it in meal prep containers. Spoon the taco filling on top and store the containers in the refrigerator. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days. You can warm them up and add your favorite taco toppings when you’re ready to eat.
More Spaghetti Squash Recipes
- Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Breadsticks
- Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash Tots
- Singapore Noodles with Spaghetti Squash
Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients
- 3 small spaghetti squash 2 lb each, cooked, seeds removed and sliced in half lengthwise (see note)
- 1 lb lean ground turkey or beef
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 small brown onion peeled and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup water
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- fresh cilantro leaves
- one lime sliced into wedges
HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Use a fork to scrape squash until it separates into strands. Set aside.
- Add garlic, onions and ground turkey to a large skillet. Cook until ground turkey has browned, crumbling the ground turkey as you cook it. Drain out excess fat.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning across turkey. Add black beans, can of tomatoes (including the liquid), 1/4 cup water and stir into the turkey mixture. Stir and cook on medium heat until everything is evenly mixed, turkey is cooked through, and sauce has thickened.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Place spaghetti squash halves onto baking sheet. Top each half with taco meat and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Place squash into oven and bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to be squeezed over sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Sorry my bad I tend to jump right to the recipe and missed adding cooked squash before the meat mixture.
Looks so good I’ll definitely try.
We hope you love it!
So your not eating the squash? Just using for a bowl?