Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash stuffed with vegetables, crispy chickpeas, and Italian seasoning. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or plant-based pasta substitution!

I watched a documentary on Minimalism this week on Netflix and by the end of the movie I was ready to scour my closets and cabinets and get rid of everything that didn’t serve a clear purpose.

But then it got late and I went to bed.

I still have a reminder on my “TO-DO” list to minimize the clutter in my life and go through things.

Ironically, the list itself is so cluttered that I probably will skip over that one unintentionally, bombarded by reminders and alarms and the feeling of constantly forgetting something.

It’s OK, at least I never forget dinner.

While watching the documentary, I also enjoyed this Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash!

If you can forgive me for not eating mindfully (I TRY not to typically watch TV while I eat, but…it happens. Sometimes it just works!)… let me share with you how amazing it is.

These spaghetti squash boats are packed with veggies, loaded with chickpea protein, and bursting with all the good Italian seasonings.

This is pasta night upgraded, my friends.

For the tie in, what can be more pleasing to a minimalist than this squash, a meal in itself, so concise and neat that you don’t even need a plate for serving?

What You Need to Make Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Here’s what you need:

• spaghetti squash
• Himalayan sea salt
• black pepper
• avocado oil spray
• white onion
• cherry tomato
• white mushrooms
• garbanzo beans
• garlic powder
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• spinach

That’s it!

How to Make Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

First, preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out pulp and seeds with a spoon.

Rub the interior of the squash with the avocado oil and season with salt and pepper.

Lay the squash cut side down on the parchment paper and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the squash is soft and tender and lightly browed.

Next, prepare your squash filling on the stovetop. 

Add a drizzle of avocado oil in a pan over medium heat. 

Once it’s warm, add in the onion, garlic powder, oregano, basil, chickpeas, and mushrooms and sauté everything for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the chickpeas are lightly browned and crispy.

Add in spinach and cherry tomatoes in the last 2 minutes and cook only until the spinach is slightly wilted and vibrantly green.

After the squash has slightly cooled, tease the insides with a fork to form “noodles”. They should look like spaghetti!

To assemble, divide the vegetables and chickpeas between the quash halves and serve them with your sauce and toppings of choice!

Toppings for Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Here’s what U like for serving:

• pasta sauce
• hummus
• pesto fresh basil
• vegan parmesan

Add your favorites!

Swaps and Substitutions

Don’t be discouraged by the long cook time on this recipe because it’s almost all spent waiting on the squash to cook.

If you don’t have an hour to spare on busy weeknights, feel free to cook the squash ahead of time and remove the “strands” and store in the fridge that way.

This way, you can create bowls with the squash vs. the boats and it will taste just as good!

As always, different veggie combinations will work fine in this recipe.

I’d be interested to see how another leafy green tastes instead of spinach, and consider throwing some bell pepper in.

My favorite thing is to eat them right out of the shell, piping hot with a bit of pasta sauce, pesto, or hummus.

I just really like stuffing things, OK?

I do feel a sense of heaviness attached to my “things” sometimes, like they have an emotional weight to them that I subconsciously carry.

And I know that my living space directly correlates to my mentality, because when all I see is clutter…all I can think is clutter!

What do you guys think about minimalism?

With any luck, by my next post, I will have gotten rid a of a few things and feel a bit freer.

If nothing else, my fridge will be lighter because all of the leftovers from this squash will be gone!

More Stuffed Vegetable Recipes

• Stuffed Purple Sweet Potatoes

• Italian Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant

• Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats

• Veggie Loaded Twice Baked Potato

• Sweet Potato Boats

• Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers

• Mushroom Marinara Stuffed Collard Greens

• Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Italian Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

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XO Lauren

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