This insanely good Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls are my favorite way to eat spaghetti squash. So easy to make, with just 5 ingredients!
Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls
Ever wonder what to put on your roasted spaghetti squash? I came up with the idea to use my leftover enchilada sauce to make these enchilada spaghetti squash boats – best idea I’ve had in a long time!
Enchiladas are a staple in my home, I always make a double batch of this AMAZING enchilada sauce when I make my chicken enchiladas and freeze the rest for quick future enchilada nights. Yes, you can buy it pre-made in the store, but trust me it’s SO much better from scratch.
These boats are so easy to make, with just 5 ingredients. I made them meatless because quite frankly, they were filling and didn’t need much – they were perfect as is! They are also low-carb, so this dish is a win win in my book! Although you can make this quicker in the microwave, I highly recommend using the oven method instead for less watery, perfect results.
These are perfect as is, but here’s a few more ways to enjoy them!
Spaghetti Squash Variations
- Ground meat – Why not add ground beef or turkey taco meat on top!
- Chicken – add some shredded leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken for more protein.
- Vegetarian option – load them up with some canned black beans and corn.
More spaghetti squash recipes:
- Turkey Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats
- Spaghetti Squash with Meat Ragu
- Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese
- Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Parmesan
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce
Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 small spaghetti squashes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 1/3 cups homemade enchilada sauce see here
- 1 cup part-skim shredded Mexican cheese blend
- chopped cilantro and scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two if they don't fit). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands.
- Brush the inside of the squash with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash face down on the baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands appear.
- Spoon enough of the enchilada sauce mixture inside each squash bowl until almost full.
- Top evenly with the cheese and transfer them to the oven and bake another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro and scallions and serve immediately!
I have made these Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls many times following this recipe and my family loves it. Sometimes, we add shredded chicken for a twist. It’s super easy–the most difficult step is cutting the squash in half. Thank you for another awesome recipe!
I took this recipe mostly as inspiration rather than following it closely. I added black beans, corn, and onions seasoned with cumin and cilantro. Then I added the enchilada sauce and cheese. It was delicious that way.
I was looking for a recipe to use some leftover spaghetti squash and found this. Since I didn’t have the shells I made aluminum foil boats. I just spread out the squash in the boats and fill them with the sauce and cheese and they were a hit.
These were So Good! Very simple to put together and my husband and kiddo really liked it. Left out the chipotle peppers and added a little more chili powder because I didn’t have any and my kiddo is very sensitive to spice. Would definitely make again!
This was fantastic, although with the amount of cheese and sauce I would put on those, there’s no way they would be only 183 calories. 😏
I made the sauce linked to this recipe, too. I had never cooked with chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. If you get a bite of the chili with seeds, it can be pretty spicy. I liked it, but my fellow diners thought it was bit too spicy. So, I might be inclined to skip the chili powder next time.
In the steps about adding the sauce and cheese to the boats before putting them back into the oven, I would put some sauce and cheese in the boat and mix it up some so that the sauce and cheese is spread throughout the strands. Then, I would fill the boat with sauce and cover with cheese.
Finally, I made four halves, and there was enough sauce for the four. I had bought a small can of chipotle chiles in sauce and would estimate that there was 7-9 tablespoons worth in the can. So, I’ve frozen the leftover chiles for future use, because I will definitely be making this again. If I made only two halves, I could freeze half the sauce for the next dinner. Overall, this took longer to make than I expected, but the leftover ingredients will make it quicker in the future.
Amazing! Will definitely be making this on a regular basis. I used canned enchilada sauce b/c lazy/time and added shrimp. I cooked the shrimp in a pan with a few tablespoons of the enchilada sauce and then added to the top of the finished boats so the shrimp wouldn’t overcook in the oven. Topped with some avocado sliced and diced red onion since I was out of scallions. So good, so healthy, and so quick and easy.
Love this recipe, on my regular rotation. There are 2 of us, so we have leftovers for lunch the next day.
Would someone explain the party about the stands appearing. I don’t see that in the picture. Thanks, never used spaghetti before.
If you scrape the insides of the squash with a fork, the strands of the squash reveal “spaghetti” like strands. Scraping until you reach the skin will reveal a large amount of squash to eat. Best!
These were very tasty! I made the enchilada sauce, and though it had heat it was wonderful. We did add some sour cream to it. I was scraping the sides of my squash as I finished my dinner tonight trying to get every last little bit. My hubby was not very enthusiastic when I told him what I was fixing but he really enjoyed it as well.
I am in love with this recipe! I made my spaghetti squash in the instant pot and then finished in oven. It would also be good with some black beans sprinkled within. Definitely making again!