Description
Make this Chili Stuffed Spaghetti Squash for a comforting, low-carb dinner that tastes like you spent all day cooking. This recipe brings family warmth right to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey or lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel), undrained
- 1 cup salsa (your favorite kind)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (optional, for topping)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, green onions, avocado
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
- Place the squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
- While the squash roasts, prepare the chili filling. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the ground meat and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes and green chilies, salsa, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the chili mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Once the squash is cooked, use a fork to scrape out the flesh, creating spaghetti-like strands in the hollowed-out shells. Leave about a half-inch of flesh attached to the skin for structure.
- Mix about half of the chili filling directly into the squash strands in both halves.
- Spoon the remaining chili mixture evenly over the top of the squash halves.
- If using cheese, sprinkle it over the top of the chili.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Roasting time for the squash can vary based on its size and ripeness. Check for tenderness.
- Feel free to use pre-cooked chili to save time, just heat it through before stuffing.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground meat with lentils or extra beans.
- Savana loves using smoky chipotle powder in place of some chili powder for a deeper flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking and Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 squash with filling
- Calories: Estimate 450
- Sugar: Estimate 12g
- Sodium: Estimate 650mg
- Fat: Estimate 15g
- Saturated Fat: Estimate 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: Estimate 9g
- Trans Fat: Trace
- Carbohydrates: Estimate 40g
- Fiber: Estimate 14g
- Protein: Estimate 40g
- Cholesterol: Estimate 80mg