Spaghetti Squash Boats Tex Mex
Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash Boats are vegetarian healthy boats with beans, tomato sauce and cheese.
Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash Boats are vegetarian healthy boats with beans, tomato sauce and cheese.
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- cooking spray (i use misto)
- 1 large bell pepper diced
- 2 medium spaghetti squash
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 14 oz red kidney or black bean beans, drained & rinsed
- 1/2 tsp organic chili powder
- 2 tbsp diced canned chilis or jalapeã±os (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped + more for garnish
- 1 cup colby jack/tex mex/mozzarella cheese, shredded &am divided
- Carbohydrate 29.7556201236662 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.933074896485733 g
- Fiber 7.4580666710066 g
- Protein 6.64900750478426 g
- Saturated Fat 0.147352708423944 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (605g)
- Sodium 2249.31283523254 mg
- Sugar 22.2975534526596 g
- Trans Fat 0.333988333532678 g
- Calories 132 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Lay skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with unbleached parchment paper, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 mins or until cooked to a touch with a fork.
- In the meanwhile, preheat medium skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and saute for 4 - 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add beans, chili powder, chilis/jalapeños, tomato sauce, cilantro and stir. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cheese. Stir again.
- Remove baked spaghetti squash from the oven and let cool a few minutes. Fluff each squash "boat" with a fork releasing some of the strands, leaving the squash in a shell. Fill each "boat" with heaping 3/4 - 1 cup prepared bean/pepper etc. mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese each. Bake for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro.
Unlike standard casseroles that require pre-cooking grains or starches separately in pots of boiling water, this approach utilizes the squash shell itself as both cooking vessel and serving dish. Mastering this preparation relies entirely on parallel execution between the oven and the stovetop. While two medium squashes roast cut-side down at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, the aromatic base requires careful attention in a skillet. Sautéing the finely chopped onion, crushed garlic, and diced bell pepper over medium heat until golden brown builds foundational depth before the canned red kidney or black beans and tomato sauce enter the pan. When a fork easily pierces the outer skin of the squash, pull the halves from the oven and allow them to cool just enough for safe handling. Fluffing the interior flesh with a fork separates the moisture-dense strands into individual noodle-like ribbons while keeping the structural integrity of the shell intact. Packing each cavity with three-quarters to one cup of the seasoned bean mixture ensures proper distribution without overflowing the edges. Sprinkling the shredded colby jack or mozzarella cheese across the top before returning the loaded halves to the oven for an additional 10 minutes creates a bubbly, melted crust. Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, though reheating them gently in a toaster oven helps maintain the structural crispness of the squash wall better than a microwave.
