This recipe for Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is packed full of healthy veggies without compromising on flavor! It’s grain-free and vegan adaptable, perfect for mixed households where some eat meat and some are vegan or vegetarian.
Spaghetti squash is cut crosswise, to create a round “bowl” then roasted in the oven. It is filled with a mixture of fresh corn, black beans, peppers, optional cheese and enchilada sauce. Feel free to add ground meat or chicken to some – or leave them vegetarian.
So hearty, flavorful and satisfying without being overly heavy.
Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash | 50-sec video
If beans are not your thing, feel free to substitute lean ground meat, baked chicken or even quinoa.
These can be prepared vegan, without cheese, like my version in the background below– or, if you prefer, “cheese-it-up” as my husband likes to say, by adding shredded cheese into the mix.
Or try adding vegan cheese! My favorite!
There once was a time when, like Brian, I too could consume 10,000 calories a day and magically it would evaporate! Not anymore. Not for a long long time. If you are a woman over forty, you will understand this strange phenomenon. Almost overnight, the metabolism just decides to slow way waaayyyyy down, and begins taking it easy. Like it’s on vacation. 😉
But my hunger hasn’t slowed down one bit. So lately, I find myself reading labels, gravitating towards things that are more naturally filling and full of fiber. I lighten up my meals a bit by pairing down on cheese for example, while keeping Brian’s richer and heartier (he who burns calories, while blinking).
This is one of those recipes that is highly adaptable…making us both very very happy. Feel free to add baked chicken breast or browned ground meat or healthier turkey chorizo for meat-eaters in your household.
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For a pretty presentation, try slicing spaghetti squash crosswise, creating two upright bowls.
Turn over and bake in the oven on parchment paper or a greased sheet pan for 40 minutes.
Then place it back in the oven until nice and toasty and melty, about 10-20 more minutes.
Other toppings include diced avocado, cilantro, hot sauce and sour cream.
Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with black beans, corn, bell pepper and cilantro –keep it vegan or add cheese!
Ingredients
- 2 small spaghetti squash, cut in half
- ½ onion diced ( about 1 Cup diced)
- 1–2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic- chopped
- 1 Cup fresh corn (one ear, or frozen )
- 1 red bell pepper – diced
- 1 1/2 Cups cooked black beans ( 1 can rinsed and drained) or sub browned ground meat, turkey chorizo, or leftover or baked chicken breast )
- 1 Tble chili powder
- 1 Tble cumin
- 1 Tble coriander
- 1 Tble fresh chopped jalapeño, more or less to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup enchilada sauce or sub tomato sauce
- ¼ Cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 Cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese -per serving
- Other optional toppings: chopped avocado, hot sauce, sour cream
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 F
- Cut spaghetti squash in half, and scrape out seeds. If cutting in half horizontally, create a stable base by slicing of a little of the ends, so they stand upright, creating a “bowl”( or fee free to cut vertically).
- Place on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet, cut-side, faced down, and place in the hot oven for 40 minutes until fork tender.
- While they are roasting, make the filling. Saute onion in a skillet with 1 -2 T olive oil, on medium high heat, stirring, for two minutes. Add garlic, turn heat to medium and sauté for 3-4 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant and golden.
- Turn heat to medium low add jalapeno, corn and peppers, and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Add beans, spices, salt and enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off and stir in cilantro. Mixture will seem salty, but remember you will be mixing this with under-seasoned spaghetti squash, so the salt will disappear.
- When spaghetti squash is tender, ( pierce with a knife through the skin) carefully, using a fork, fluff and stir the inside of the squash, scraping it away from the sides. You will have enough filling for four halves.
- Incorporate a little filling at a time, mixing it together with the spaghetti squash. If adding cheese ( or cooked meat) mix a little into the squash and veggie mixture and use the remaining for the top. (At this point you could refrigerate, and bake at a later time) Or, return the stuffed squash into the hot oven and bake for 10-20 more minutes, until heated through and/ or cheese is melted.
- Garnish with cilantro, avocado or sour cream, and hot sauce.
Notes
You can also sub a vegan cheese or vegan soy crumbles ( browned).
Nutrition
- Calories: 375
Keywords: stuffed spaghetti squash, mexican spaghetti squash, twice baked spaghetti squash, baked spaghetti squash,
This looks so good I have acorn squash in the fridge could I use that instead?
yes, totally!
I just started getting your Saturday emails a few months back and am hooked! I picked up my last bag of beautiful seasonal veggies from CasaCano farms in Valleyford, near Spokane on Thursday and had 3 spaghetti squash. What to do? I made this recipe with one of them on our snowy Sunday evening …. Today is Tuesday and I’m making the other two tonight! Yummy, healthy and so filling! Maddie at the farm includes recipes sometimes and I’m going to forward this, so maybe next year her other customers can make it!!! Love your site!!
Thanks so much Jan, really appreciate it!!!
This was a hit! The whole family loved it.
★★★★★
loved it. Tasty and filling
★★★★★
this was delicious! I cooked the squash in the instant pot and then filled it after. Quick, easy and mighty tasty. Thanks 🙂
★★★★★
This recipe is very good. I have only had spaghetti squash one other time and I didn’t really care for it. But the was a real hit. My husband loved it. We have decided not to eat meat on Tuesday and Thursday and the recipe was very filling
★★★★★
I didn’t stuff the spaghetti squash. I just put some in a bowl and topped it with the sauce. This is so delicious!! I did not add any cheese and didn’t miss it. Thank you for sharing. I will be making it again for sure!
★★★★★
Great to hear and thanks for sharing Danielle!
I’ve just discovered this site! Everything I’ve tried has been delicious. I’m vegetarian and, until this site, have a hard time finding sites with consistently good vegetarian recipes. I love the simplicity of the food and preparation.
Today, I made the enchilada stuffed spaghetti squash for the second time in two weeks, this time to share with co-workers. I used Persian lime olive and it worked so well.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
Im so glad you are enjoying?
I’m not normally a huge fan of spaghetti squash, but this was delicious! I added a Poblano pepper that needed cooking and the heat was just right. This recipe is going in my “favorite” file. Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it Heather!
Delicious. The whole family gobbled it up. We didn’t use cheese.
★★★★★
Awesome to hear!
Im so glad you enjoyed it~!
It looks delicious but that is a fairly high sodium content. The ingredients look healthy so where does all the sodium come from?
I guess form the salt? You can cut it back if you want to.
Loved your recipe. I had to try it, but of course with my own spin. After all, that’s real life 🙂
https://reallifeofanmsw.com/2016/12/27/spaghetti-squash-goes-to-mexico
i m a chef i m learning from you
This tastes as delicious as it looks! I’ll be making the roasted sketti squash with sage and mushrooms this week. I’m so glad I found you, (referred by a friend), because, since cutting meat out of my diet a few years ago, I find it hard to get excited about eating.
I need recipes like these to keep me healthy. Healthy to me – no meat, low dairy, (almond milk has come around at a good time), no bread or potatoes or anything white, lots of beans and lentils and tofu. I’m no angel, I still enjoy my sweets, but I’m lucky in that I lost any extra weight I had when I quit eating meat. Thank you for the time you put into teaching us about some great eating! I’m in the South, and there are not a lot of vegetarian options out here.
★★★★★
How do you slice the beast? I almost stabbed myself!
I’ve heard that if you cook it whole, it is super easy to slice. I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to because they can sure be tough to cut when they’re raw. It does help to put them on a folded towel so they don’t slip around on the cutting board.
I use a pumpkin carving knife
Thanks for posting! Most of my family liked the squash a lot (the dissenter is a picky 4-yr-old). My husband and kids wrapped it in whole wheat tortillas for burritos.
This is a great recipe that I’ve been sharing it with family and friends. Husband looovvves it. Easy to make, healthy, and really delicious. I usually make a new recipe exactly as written the first time around and then tweak it the next time, but this one will stay exactly the way it is!
Thanks for sharing Dana! Glad you are enjoying it 😉
This was absolutely delicious! I made it with the beans and ground beef. Topped with Greek yogurt, cilantro, avocado and hot sauce.
Oh good Sarah! Such a healthy hearty meal!
What beautifully presented and delicious sounding recipes! My kind of food. My idea of healthy? well I don’t eat meat so- vegetables with beans for protein, whole grains, healthy fats, nuts and seeds. i just cooked bean burgers with avocado and haloumi served with a big leafy green salad. Thank you for sharing these great recipes and all the work that goes into presenting them so beautifully- much appreciated.
Thanks Rachel… appreciate your input!!
What beautifully presented and delicious sounding recipes- just my kind of food! Thank you for sharing- I am looking forward to trying them out. My idea of healthy? Well I don’t eat meat so vegetables with beans for protein, healthy fats, whole grains nuts and seeds. I just made bean burgers served with avocado and haloumi with a big leafy green salad. Thanks again.
These look so good! I am loving all the filling ingredients you used!!
I have never stuffed spaghetti squash before! What a seriously delicious recipe and idea.. this looks like the ultimate cheesey comfort food too. Great recipe & pinned!
Really beautiful & creative, LOVE this!
Thanks Matt!
For me, healthy is something just like this… lots of fiber, healthy protein, good fats. Obviously processed carbs like pasta and white bread aren’t healthy… but they are so tasty 😛 I like the comparing nutritional charts here. Interesting to see!
Yes, they are tasty! Thanks for responding. So what is an example of one of your “go-to” meals?
Stuffing squash is one of my favorite things to do! I love the taste, the process, and the way it looks! Great recipe!!