These easy Chili Stuffed Spaghetti Squash are 100% vegetarian and totally crave-worthy!
So remember how obsessed I was with my healthy lentil chili?
Things just got heated.
I couldn’t resist adding a little cheesiness to the equation and figured, while I’m at it, might as well go for the full impulsion and stuff it in a spaghetti squash. Clearly we do that a lot around here, eh?
Well duh! It’s delicious!!!
I could easily wax poetic for hours on just how much I adore this chili stuffed spaghetti squash but that would only prevent you from your mad dash to the kitchen which would be no bueno. Let’s skip the banter and jump right to the recipe, shall we?
Chili Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Easy Cheesy Chili Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (approx. 2 pounds)
- 2 cups your favorite vegetarian or classic chili
- 2 oz pepper jack cheese, grated
- 1 oz cheddar cheese, grated
- crushed corn chips for topping
- fresh parsley to garnish if desired
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- sliced jalapeños
- crushed red pepper flakes
- chopped red onion
- pico de gallo
- sliced avocado
- salsa
- fresh cilantro
- sour cream or greek yogurt (if vegetarian/t-rex)
- shredded cheddar cheese (if vegetarian/t-rex)
- crushed tortilla chips
- corn chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. For easy cutting, feel free to stick each squash in the microwave for 3-5 minutes to soften it up just a tad (you can also stab it a few times to vent the steam which helps) – The knife slides through way easier this way!
- Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.
- Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil.
- Place inside a baking dish or atop rimmed baking sheet and roast face-down for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Don’t stress the timing too much since you can always bake it longer if needed. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.
- While the squash roasts, warm up your chili.
- Once squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mit and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.
- Stir in your chili and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for around 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned.
- Add all your favorite chili toppings from the list above and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
special diets and swaps
- While I stuffed my squash with my vegan lentil chili, feel free to use your favorite chili! This recipe works great with classic t-rex chili (beans or no beans!) and would also be fantastic with my healthy quinoa chili.
- Vegan? Nix the cheese or try it with some tasty Daiya shredded cheese if you’d like! It would also be super delicious with their ultra-melty slices. I used them to make vegan grilled cheese last week and totally fell in love!
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free and easily made paleo and Whole30 compliant if you nix the queso and use paleo chili and toppings.
This delicousness is part of my Love Your Leftovers blog series. Make the most of leftover chili by stuffing it in a spaghetti squash, acorn squash, or even a sweet potato!
past installments include:
- Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
- Spicy Sriracha Lime Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Buffalo Chicken Taco Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Shortcut Taco Soup
Have a suggestion for a future Love Your Leftovers post? Leave me a comment and I’ll help you revamp last night’s dinner into a delicious dish!
Always on the lookout for more spaghetti squash recipes. This one is a keeper!
What an exciting new way to enjoy spaghetti squash. Can’t wait to try it.
When do you add the garlicky oil you prep before heating chili at the end?
Hey Laurie! Color me confused because I have no idea why that step is in there – ohmygosh! All fixed — the only oil you’ll need is the oil you rub on the cut side of the spaghetti squash prior to roasting 🙂 Thank you so so much for letting me know that was in there and I’m super stoked for you to try the recipe! xoxo
Amazing spaghetti squash recipes like this one are the only thing keeping me from totally drowning in the sugar and calories of the winter months! So delicious, simple, and healthy too! Love this one!
Thank you Karly! Lol and me too — my sweet tooth gets out of control around the holidays!