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Pizza Spaghetti Squash Boats have all the best flavors of pizza with none of the carbs! It’s healthy, seasonal-perfection.
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I'm loving this recipe because...
This recipe is cozy, super easy to make (seriously, you can’t mess it up), and it’s perfect for when you’re craving pizza, but feeling like you don’t want the heaviness that comes from a *regular* pizza.
When spaghetti squash is in season, I can’t get enough of it. It’s unique because unlike other squash, this one has firm, al-dente noodles that are the perfect replacement for traditional pasta. So if you’re cutting or just want to keep things light, don’t skip this recipe!
Ingredients you'll need (+ substitutions you can make)
- Spaghetti squash - a medium spaghetti squash works best with this recipe, just be sure to watch your hands when cutting it, they can be pretty firm!
- Olive oil - for rubbing the squash before roasting.
- Kosher salt and pepper - for seasoning your squash.
- Mozzarella - I like to use freshly grated mozzarella because it melts very nicely but pre-shredded works, too!
- Parmesan - again, freshly grated is best because of the melt factor but you can definitely use pre-shredded.
- Cream cheese - this just adds some flavor and creaminess. It’s optional you can skip it if you don’t want to use it. Just soften it up before stirring it with the rest of the cheese so that you don’t end up with clumps in your spaghetti squash.
- Marinara sauce - we’re using marinara here because traditional pizza sauce is a bit too thick for stuffing your squash. You can use it, of course, but I’ve tested this recipe with both pizza and marinara and marinara is the better choice for flavor and texture.
- Pepperoni - you can use whatever pepperoni you like (turkey, cured, uncured, freshly sliced, etc.)
- Basil - totally optional for garnish and a little flavor. I like to chop it and add it last but you can add it before you bake the boats with the other ingredients.
How to make it...
The process is pretty easy and mostly hands off! First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Then cut your spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, to create boat shapes and scoop away those seeds.
Next rub your spaghetti squash with olive oil and give it a good season with salt and pepper (be sure to use kosher salt because table salt can lead to an over-salted flavor).
Place the boat sides down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and poke some holes in the squash skins.
While the squash bakes, combine the mozzarella, parmesan, and softened cream cheese in a bowl. Set that aside.
After the squash bakes, take it out, flip them over and fill the insides with marinara sauce, the cheese mixture and top with pepperoni.
Bake it for another 10-15 minutes and garnish with basil before serving.
What I learned making this recipe
A common complaint with spaghetti squash is that there’s a lot of liquid or sogginess. By poking some holes in the skin and roasting it face down, you can pretty much eliminate that problem. I’ve come to that conclusion with a lot of trial and error.
I used to make my spaghetti squash in a baking dish with the cheese mixture in it (without the pre-bake), and while that might make things easier in a way, it’s worth it to pre-roast it, flip it, then fill it after it’s pretty much finished baking.
And on that note, the size of your squash will determine how long it needs to bake. For a small-medium sized squash, 40 minutes is enough, but if it’s huge, you might need more time. I recommend stabbing the area between the flesh and the skin to see if the strands easily flake free. If not, then keep checking it every 5 minutes until it’s done.
More recipes you'll love + what to serve with it
If you’re a fan of spaghetti squash you have to try my Boursin Chicken Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo! It’s luxurious and so easy to make, you’ll be obsessed!
And since this is an elevated pizza night we're having, I recommend serving this squash with a Creamy Grinder Salad and a craft drink, like this Maple Fig Mocktail!
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup Parmesan
- 4 oz cream cheese. softened
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup pepperoni use as desired
- 1 tbsp basil chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise to create two boats and scoop out the seeds.
- Rub the spaghetti squash with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper.
- Poke holes in the skin and place it face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake it for 35 minutes.
- While the squash bakes, combine the mozzarella, parmesan, and softened cream cheese in a bowl.
- When your squash finishes, take it out, turn the boats over and split the marinara equally between the boats.
- Next layer the cheese mixture into each boat.
- Finally, top with pepperonis and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes (or until the sauce and cheese is hot and bubbly).
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