Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the perfect vegetarian meal.  Filled with black beans, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, homemade taco seasoning, and Mexican cheese, this delightful and hearty meal gets stuffed back into a perfectly roasted spaghetti squash.  Make this perfect vegetarian spaghetti squash recipe for a healthy weeknight dinner idea!

Love spaghetti squash? Also, try Twice Backed Spaghetti Squash Marinara and Baked Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the perfect bowl of nature's goodness! I love the way spaghetti squash makes a natural bowl for stuffing delicious toppings like black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and all the best southwest-inspired spices.  Top it with delightful Mexican cheese to hold it together.  The result is a clash between cozy baked pasta, healthy spaghetti squash, and your favorite taco flavors.

This unexpected meal is so hearty, tasty, and flavorful that you'll never even realize you are eating a plant-based completely healthy dinner!  In fact, this recipe is not only vegetarian but it's also gluten-free, low-carb, and vegan-friendly (see my notes below to make it vegan.)

Often spaghetti squash recipes have Italian flavors with marinara sauce (If you want that, try my Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash Marinara) but I love this fun twist on stuffed spaghetti squash with Mexican and southwest-inspired flavors.  The base and flavor of the squash are mild, so you can basically add whatever flavors you like to it including these Mexican-inspired flavors.  These make such fun spaghetti squash boats.

What is spaghetti squash?

If you aren't familiar with spaghetti squash, it's a fabulous fall and winter squash that is shaped like a yellow oval.  When you roast it and cut it in half the yellow flesh inside flakes with a fork into strands that resemble spaghetti.  So it's a great low-carb, low cal and gluten-free substitute for pasta.  It's a nutrient-dense food, much more so than pasta.  It is rich in fiber and vitamin C, potassium, manganese, beta-carotene, folate, and more.

You can either scoop out the strands and serve them in a bowl or put them back in the squash with other toppings for stuffed spaghetti squash like this one!

Do spaghetti squash taste like pasta?

Spaghetti squash kind of tastes like pasta.  It has a similar texture and the exact same shape as spaghetti when you flake it with a fork.  It does have a very slight mild squash taste, but it is easily transformed into whatever flavors you cook with it.

It doesn't taste exactly like pasta, but it's pretty darn close.

Why You'll Love this Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe...

• This Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe makes a super healthy and hearty vegetarian meal.
• The hands-on time to make it is minimal - only 10 minutes! Most of the cooking time is hands-off in the oven.
• This dinner is packed with vegetables and healthy nutrients! It's a great way to amp up your veggie servings for the day.
• It's really tasty and delicious!
• You can customize this to fit your family's taste.
• The fun-cut spaghetti squash makes a natural bowl which is fun for kids and adults.
• It's a great family dinner idea that's unique!

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Spaghetti Squash: You'll need one medium spaghetti squash for this recipe.  Look for one that's heavy in weight and without blemishes.  This makes two servings each serving being one side of the spaghetti squash.  To make four boats, easily double the recipe by clicking on the 2X on the recipe card.  To prep the spaghetti squash, follow the directions below to cut it in half.
• Onion: I like to use a sweet Vidalia onion for this recipe, but you can use what you have.  To prep it, dice it up.
• Bell Pepper: Use any color of bell pepper you'd like including green bell pepper and red bell pepper.  Dice it up before you are ready to cook the stuffed spaghetti squash.
• Diced Tomatoes: I use a can of diced tomatoes for this recipe.  I like to use the fire-roasted garlic type, but once again you can use what you have.
• Mexican Cheese: Use your favorite Mexican cheese blend.  It can be full low fat or full fat depending on your dietary preferences.  You can also use Colby Jack or cheddar cheese.
• Garlic: I like to use minced garlic for this, but if you don't have it you can use a smaller amount of garlic powder.
• Taco Seasoning: I make my own Homemade Taco Seasoning with my recipe, but you can use your favorite kind.  You can also use a mix of cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, and oregano.
• Olive Oil: You'll need a touch of olive oil to saute the vegetables before stuffing the spaghetti squash.
• Toppings: Once the spaghetti squash comes out on its own you can add some toppings including cilantro, plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, more cheese, diced avocado, homemade guacamole, or salsa.

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions to make this Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Carefully pierce the whole spaghetti squash with a sharp knife.  Put the squash in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or until it is easier to cut.  Carefully stabilize it with dish towels and cut it in half.  Remove the seeds.
3. Place the flesh side or cut side down on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 45 minutes until the squash is tender and coming apart like spaghetti noodles.  The cooking time with slightly vary to your exact oven temperature and the size of the squash.
4. When the squash has 10 minutes left of cooking time, add the olive oil, onions, and garlic to a large saute skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of taco seasoning.  Add the minced garlic to the pan being careful not to burn it.
5. To the pan add the black beans and tomatoes.  Add more salt, pepper, and spices.  Remove the pan from the heat.
6. When the squash is done cooking, remove it from the oven.  Flip it upside down and with a fork scoop out most of the spaghetti squash, leaving a small amount as a border around the edges to keep the bowl intact.
7. Add the squash to the vegetable mixture and stir well.  Season with more salt, pepper, and the rest of the taco seasoning.  Stir in most of the cheese, leaving enough behind the sprinkle on top of the boats.
8. Scoop the mixture back into the spaghetti squash.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.  Put the stuffed spaghetti squash back onto the baking sheet.
9. Return the squash to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
10. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings listed above.

How to Cut Spaghetti Squash

The only challenging thing about this recipe is cutting the spaghetti squash, which can be very hard.  I recommend softening the spaghetti squash a bit by putting it in the microwave BEFORE cutting it.  Carefully pierce the skin of the spaghetti squash a few times and then microwave it for 3 minutes.

Then stabilize the squash with dish towels to keep it from rolling and a large cutting board.  Use a quality sharp large chef's knife to slice it in half.

Variations

I love this Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Make it Vegan: To make this vegan, either leave the cheese off or substitute vegan cheese.
• Make it Keto: Black beans are not keto, so if you want to make this keto leave them out and substitute meat like ground beef, Italian sausage, or turkey.
• Make it Spicy: Add some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce.
• Use Fake Meat: You can also make this with vegetarian meat crumbles.
• Use Other Veggies: You can customize this to your taste with your favorite vegetables.  Other tasty options are corn, jalapenos, broccoli, olives, kale, spinach, cherry tomatoes, kidney beans, lentils, and mushrooms. or green onions.

FAQ

Storage & Leftovers

While these are best enjoyed fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Make Ahead & Meal Prep

These work great for making ahead and meal prep.  Just prepare the stuffed squash all the way up to the final bake in the oven.  Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.  When it comes to the final baking, you'll need to keep them in the oven a bit longer to fully warm them up.

Why is my baked spaghetti squash watery?

Spaghetti squash naturally has water in it because it's a vegetable.  If your spaghetti squash noodles seem watery, you can drain them before adding them to the taco mixture.

I do a few things in this recipe to help prevent the squash from being watery including NOT roasting it in water and NOT salting it before cooking it which just brings out the water.

Why is my spaghetti squash mushy and not stringy?

Spaghetti squash came become mushy and watery if you overcook it.  Only cook the squash until it's tender, not longer.

This Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe is the Perfect Vegetarian Meal!

I just adore these tasty Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash.   They are such a wonderful, hearty vegetarian meal that's NOT pasta.  It's tasty, unexpected, and delicious even if you are a meat eater.  I love that they are vegetable packed and filled with nutrients and vitamins, but doesn't skimp on flavor.

Plus you can't beat they are also low-carb and gluten-free.

I hope you enjoy this classic recipe as much as I do.

Serve it With:

• Mexican Chopped Salad
• Homemade Guacamole
• Homemade Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa
• Easy Black Bean Salsa
• Taco Salad

More Stuffed Squash Recipes to Try:

• Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash Marinara
• Baked Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Stuffed Acorn Squash with Farro, Mushroom, and Cranberries
• Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice, Cranberries and Walnuts
• Wheat Berry and Kale Stuffed Pattypan Squash

If you make this Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Julie Wunder

This Mexican Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the perfect vegetarian meal.  Filled with black beans, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, homemade taco seasoning, and Mexican cheese, this delightful and hearty meal gets stuffed back into a perfectly roasted spaghetti squash.  Make this perfect vegetarian spaghetti squash recipe for a healthy weeknight dinner idea!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican, Southwest, Vegetarian

Servings 2 people

Calories 525 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt & pepper, to taste
• ½ cup 2% Mexican cheese
• Topping Options: cilantro, diced avocado, guacamole, salsa, plain greek yogurt, sour cream

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
• Carefully pierce the whole spaghetti squash with a sharp knife.  Put the squash in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or until it is easier to cut.  Carefully stabilize it with dish towels and cut it in half.  Remove the seeds.
• Place the flesh side down on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the squash is tender and coming apart like spaghetti noodles.  The cooking time with slightly vary to your exact oven temperature and the size of the squash. Don't overcook.
• When the squash has 10 minutes left of cooking time, add the olive oil, onions, and garlic to a large saute pan. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of taco seasoning.  Add the minced garlic to the pan being careful not to burn it.
• Saute the peppers and onions. Season with a healthy pinch of the salt, pepper and seasoning. Cook 5-10 minutes until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• To the pan add the black beans and tomatoes.  Add more salt, pepper, and spices.  Remove the pan from the heat.
• When the squash is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to touch. Flip the squash upside down and with a fork, rake out most of the squash, allowing for a quarter inch to stay along the bowl.
• Add the squash to the vegetable mixture and stir well.  Season with more salt, pepper, and the rest of the taco seasoning.  Stir in most of the cheese, leaving enough behind the sprinkle on top of the boats.
• Scoop the mixture back into the spaghetti squash.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.  Put the stuffed spaghetti squash back onto the baking sheet.
• Return the squash to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
• Serve immediately with your favorite toppings listed above.)

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

While these are best enjoyed fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

 

Make Ahead & Meal Prep

These work great for making ahead and meal prep.  Just prepare the stuffed squash all the way up to the final bake in the oven.  Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.  When it comes to the final baking, you'll need to keep them in the oven a bit longer to fully warm them up.

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 26gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 1530mgPotassium: 1838mgFiber: 26gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 2982IUVitamin C: 117mgCalcium: 600mgIron: 8mg

Keyword Mexican Chopped Salad, Southwest Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Tried this recipe?Mention @Julie_Wunder or tag #RunninginaSkirt!

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