These delicious Cheesy Lasagna Boats are baked in hollowed out spaghetti squash with spinach ricotta filling and meat sauce.
Cheesy Lasagna Boats are a great alternative to making classic beef lasagna. You’ll still get all the layers of traditional lasagna, but there are no noodles to be seen anywhere! They’re so delicious with all of the delicious lasagna flavors that you won’t even miss the pasta.
Big Boards and More by Sandy Coughlin
This recipe comes from a new book by Sandy Coughlin: Big Boards and More- 100 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Make Any Gathering Great. I love Sandy’s boards (she has many boards for sale in her shop), and her fun books that share creative ideas for food display on the boards. Big Boards and More is divided into two sections: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. In this new book, Sandy includes chapters on Keeping it Small (recipes for 2 to 4 people), Feeding a Crowd and Exploring the Great Outdoors. This is such a fun book to have on hand for entertaining ideas!
Here are several recipes in the book that we’d like to try:
- Mahi Mahi Fish Taco Board
- Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad
- Tiramisu French Toast
- Shaved Beef Gyros Picnic Board
- Pear Puff Pastry Tart
- Baked Brie Dinner Board
- Sour Cream Banana Cake
- Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole with Fried Sage
I had the unique opportunity of appearing in Sandy’s book! She brought a few friends up to Mt. Bachelor to help shoot the Après Ski Seafood Potpie Soup Board. The Seafood Pot Pie recipe is in the book, and it is totally amazing. I will be making it all winter long!
Sandy is a good friend of mine, and she is so incredibly talented. Entertaining is her specialty, and she loves sharing easy ideas for entertaining friends and family! Sandy has a very popular blog: ReluctantEntertainer.com, where her devoted readers find loads of new ideas for hosting parties with easy recipes.
Pictured above is the Big Burrito Board, also in the book. This board is interesting because it’s a fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisine. It’s just one of many boards featured in the book. And there are lots of recipes in the book that accompany the boards.
Ingredients needed for Cheesy Lasagna Boats:
- spaghetti squash
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ground beef
- Italian seasoning
- onion
- garlic
- tomato paste
- canned crushed tomatoes
- chicken broth
- ricotta cheese
- frozen spinach
- fresh basil
- shredded provolone, mozzarella or Parmesan
How to make Cheesy Lasagna Boats:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
Return to the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the tops and edges have browned. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
How to make Vegetarian Lasagna Boats:
These cheesy Lasagna Boats have a meat sauce in them, but you can certainly make them vegetarian. Just substitute 2 cups of chopped mushrooms (cremini variety is recommended) for the ground beef. And use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.
How to make a quick and easy version:
Use your favorite jarred red sauce instead of making the homemade meat sauce. Easy!
This recipe happens to be naturally gluten free too. It’s a filling and delicious meal. If you haven’t had much spaghetti squash in your life, you’re in for a real treat. When cooked, it shreds apart like pasta noodles. It’s not exactly the same as pasta, but it’s wonderful. Enjoy!
More Lasagna Style Recipes:
- Lasagna Soup
- Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Roll Ups
- Easy Tortilla Lasagna
- Lasagna Stuffed Peppers
- Ravioli Lasagna
Cheesy Lasagna Boats
Ingredients
SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
- 2 medium spaghetti squash, seeds scooped out and discarded
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
RED SAUCE:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 pound ground beef (sub chopped mushrooms for vegetarian)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian)
SPINACH- RICOTTA FILLING:
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- ¼ cup fresh basil, sliced very thinly
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces shredded provolone, mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
PREPARE THE SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the inside of each squash half with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the squash , cut-side-down. Using a knife, prick the outer shell of each squash half a few times. Bake for about 45 minutes (depending on the size), until softened with browning around the edges.
MAKE THE RED SAUCE:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once shimmery, add the ground beef, break it apart with a wooden spoon and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Let sit, untouched, for 5 to 6 minutes to brown, then stir in 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Once the meat has browned, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat, leaving behind any oil or rendered fat. Set the meat aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium- adding a drizzle if there isn't much left behind- and add the onion and garlic to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low; season with salt and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add in the remaining Italian seasoning, tomato paste and salt/pepper to taste. Cook until the tomato paste caramelizes and deepens in color, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer the sauce for 45 to 60 minutes until thickened and flavorful; salt to taste toward the end of simmering.
MAKE THE FILLING:
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients.
ASSEMBLE:
- Allow the squash to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then use a fork to scoop the inside out into a medium mixing bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In the empty shells, layer ricotta, sauce, squash and a generous pinch of the cheese (reserving 2 cups for the top). Repeat once more until the shells are nearly full. Top with the remaining cheese, and return to the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the tops and edges have browned. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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