Taco spaghetti squash 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. I’ve made taco spaghetti, taco zucchini noodles and now taco spaghetti squash.
You don’t have to serve them in the squash shells, but it does make for a fun presentation!
Cooking 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.
Squash Size
I recommend choosing small spaghetti squash that weigh about 2 lbs. They are a good size for serving these in the shell. Also if you are cooking the squash with the Instant Pot, the two pounds fits within the 6 quart pot.
The spaghetti squash is mixed with taco meat and tomato sauce. It’s then topped with cheese and baked for a few minutes until the cheese is nice and melty. The natural strands of spaghetti squash allow you to enjoy this just like a pasta dish.
You might like my turkey taco bowls, too!
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.
