Looking for a lower calorie pasta dish, satisfying gluten-free recipe or way to add more veggies to your life?  My recipe for Mediterranean Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is a fit, fresh and flavorful meal that will keep you on point with your healthy eating intentions. 

Read on to get all the details about this easy-to-make lower carb pasta recipe.

The first time I made a spaghetti squash was about 25 years ago when I was carb-loading for some fast marathons. Even back then in the 90s, I was instinctively looking for some ways to fuel up with more complex carbs from veggies rather than pastas and such made with processed grains.  Fairly new to cooking on my own, I at first resisted spaghetti squash. Not because it was a vegetable but because it looked large and intimidating, had a name that seemed false, and I had zero idea of preparation methods and serving ideas.

Spaghetti squash circa 1993, it still fuels my running all these years later!

The good news is that I broke down and bought a spaghetti squash. I felt kinda like a badass bringing that big squash home, flexing my culinary muscles and all that. Now, if I only knew how to make spaghetti squash! What I found out is that spaghetti squash is ridiculously, almost embarrassingly, easy to cook (microwave or bake in the oven). I’ve just sliced mine in half (the hardest part), scooped out the seeds, brushed with olive oil and roasted for 25 minutes. After that, a fork scrapes up the flesh which somehow magically transforms into long, noodle-like strands.  For reference, a 3-pound squash yields about 4 to 5 cups of “noodles” which is the ideal quantity for my four-serving vegetarian spaghetti squash recipe. 

To save time on those busy nights when I am worn out, I toss the squash noodles with smart convenience products including canned chickpeas, canned tomatoes, bagged baby spinach, pre-shredded cheese and a little bit of my favorite prepared Tzatziki (love the one from Litehouse Food’s OPA line). This medley of Mediterranean yumminess is piled back into the squash halves and baked for another 10 or 15 minutes until warmed up and cheese bubbling. For you meal-preppers out there, you can wrap the stuffed halves of this Mediterranean spaghetti squash dish individually in foil, store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and then pop in the oven on an evening when you need a fuss-free, yet healthy meal. Yay for stuffed spaghetti squash, it’s a meal in its own bowl!

Each serving of Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash is half of one half (so a quarter!) and has about 20 grams of plant-based protein for just 350 calories. It’s friendly for vegetarian, gluten-free and lower-carb diets. Enjoy!

Did you previously know how to make spaghetti squash? What is your must-have ingredient in stuffed spaghetti squash?  What do you eat to carb load during marathon training? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

5 from 16 votes

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Mediterranean Chickpea-stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

No need for noodles, this Mediterranean-inspired stuffed spaghetti squash recipe delivers everything you need for a fit, fresh meal to fuel your running or active lifestyle. It's also friendly for vegetarian and gluten-free diets.

Course: dinner, entree

Cuisine: Mediterranean, vegetarian

Keyword: gluten free, mediterranean, squash, vegetable, vegetarian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 351 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 15- ounce can chickpeas garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ cup prepared tzatziki divided
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes drained well
• 6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with large serrated knife. Scoop out seeds and webbing in center cavity.
3. Brush cut sides of squash with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Lay both squash halves, cut side down, on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
4. Rub drained and rinsed chickpeas in a dish towel to dry and remove most of the skins. Place chickpeas in another rimmed baking dish (I used a pie pan) and drizzle with remaining one tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, shake pan about to coat.
5. Roast squash for approximately 25 minutes or until softened and edges caramelizing.
6. During last half of squash roasting, add pan of chickpeas to oven. Roast chickpeas for 10 minutes, or until warmed and lightly browning, but so long as they become crunchy. Turn oven down to 350.
7. Remove squash and chickpeas from oven. Let rest in pan for 5 minutes.
8. Using the tines of a fork, scrape up the spaghetti squash “noodles” leaving an approximate ¼ inch rim around the squash to create the bowl.
9. Add squash “noodles” to large bowl mix in garlic salt and ¼ cup of prepared Tzatziki dressing. While still warm, add chopped spinach, drained tomatoes, mozzarella and soft-roasted chickpeas.
10. Distribute this mixture evenly among the two squash “bowls,” packing down and necessary to fit it all in.
11. Return stuffed squash to oven and bake at 350F for a additional 10 to 15 minutes or until hot through and cheese melted.
12. Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese crumbles and drizzle with remaining Tzatziki dressing.

Recipe Notes