Baked Lentil Marinara Spaghetti Squash
It's a new year and so many of us are longing for healthier meals, without sacrificing the flavor! This Baked Lentil Marinara Spaghetti Squash is loaded with both nutrition and flavor, the perfect substitute for your more traditional meat-sauce spaghetti! Gluten-Free + Vegetarian
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: lentils, marinara, spaghetti squash
Servings: 4
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Kaylee Pauley
- 1 large spaghetti squash approx 6-7 cups cooked
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 {14.5} can organic diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup organic tomato paste {canned}
- 1/2 cup purple onion finely chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried parsley {or fresh if you prefer}
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper {optional}
- 3 oz freshly grated Romano cheese
- fresh parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds and add to baking sheet, with the skin down and flesh facing up. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until you can use a fork to pull the flesh apart and it resembles noodles.
While the squash is cooking, add lentils and two cups water to sauce pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and lentils are soft.
Meanwhile, add all ingredients for sauce {diced tomatoes through crushed red pepper} to NutriBullet or food processor, blend on high 25-30 seconds, or until ingredients are well combined and a thick sauce is formed.
Once the lentils have cooked, remove any excess water if needed, then add sauce to lentils and stir until well combined.
Layer spaghetti squash into 9x13 pan {or equivalent}, then top with lentil and sauce mixture, followed by freshly grated Romano cheese and fresh parsley.
Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.
Garnish with additional Romano cheese and parsley if desired.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 17.2g | Fat: 6.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 18.8mg | Sodium: 311.3mg | Fiber: 16.9g | Sugar: 12.6g