Spaghetti Squash Taco Bake: A Light & Flavorful Dinner

Hey there, food enthusiasts!

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely adore food. Unfortunately, food doesn’t always adore me back—or maybe it loves me a bit too much, because it tends to stick around and create those unwanted muffin tops. How rude! That’s why I’m always on the hunt for recipes that are low in calories, or that I can tweak to be lighter. I like to get the most bang for my buck—meaning, if I can eat a generous portion for fewer calories versus a tiny portion for lots of calories, I’ll pick the first every time!

I’m a big taco lover, so I created this tasty dish. It’s low-calorie, low-fat, and gluten-free! Gluten tends to make me feel unwell, but it’s a big part of some of my favorite foods… so I don’t avoid it entirely—I just try to keep it in check.

Ready to cook? Here’s the recipe!

What You’ll Need:

Half of a large spaghetti squash (or a whole small one)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
1 large can sliced black olives
1 small bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2) Lightly grease your preferred baking dish—I used a deep pie dish.
3) Cook the ground turkey and set it aside (I’m a seasoning fan, so I added garlic salt and red pepper flakes).

4) Cut the spaghetti squash in half (it’s a bit of a hassle, but totally worth it). Place a damp paper towel over one half, then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap. (I like to rub a little butter on the squash first.)

5) Microwave the spaghetti squash for 12–14 minutes. Be careful when removing it—it’s been steaming and will be very hot.

6) Let it cool on the counter for about 5 minutes. Then unwrap and use a fork to scrape out the “spaghetti” strands. You may want to pat the noodles dry—they hold a lot of moisture.

Spaghetti Squash

Note: There are other ways to cook spaghetti squash; this is just my favorite method. If you choose to microwave or bake it whole, be sure to poke plenty of holes in it first so steam can escape. You definitely don’t want a squash explosion!

Let’s Put It Together:

7) In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti squash, ground turkey, taco seasoning, olives, and black beans. Mix thoroughly!

8) Transfer the mixture to your baking dish and bake for 30–40 minutes.

9) Take the dish out of the oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

10) Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

11) Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.

12) Serve topped with fresh avocado and plenty of corn chips!

Enjoy your meal!

Spaghetti Squash Taco Bake

Feel free to add corn, tomatoes, peppers, jalapeños, or onions for extra flavor. My fiancé is allergic to onions and I’m not a fan, so we skip them in our house.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do—I’d love to hear what you think!

Bon appétit!

K