Spaghetti Squash Boats with Tahini Sauce

Spaghetti squash make the perfect vehicle for this delicious, nutritious, and comforting weeknight meal!

I feel like spaghetti squash boats had a fleeting moment, and then the trend sort of disappeared. Let’s bring it back, shall we? If you’re not that pumped about it, let’s rationalize: it’s one or two less bowls you'll have to clean after dinner! Now that’s something to get excited about.

These spaghetti squash boats are loaded with braised kale, sauteed mushrooms, and juicy ground turkey, and then topped off with a generous drizzle of herby tahini sauce. Such a delicious weeknight meal for the whole family!

Be sure to tag @threebirdsonestove when you make these so I can see your gorgeous meal!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 80 Minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

For the Boats:

2 spaghetti squash, about 4 pounds total, halved lengthwise, seeds removed

1 pound kale, thoroughly washed and dried, chopped, and then braised (method below)

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup sherry wine

¼ cup chicken stock

1 bouillon cube, broken into crumbs

1 pound oyster mushrooms, washed and thoroughly dried

1 pound ground turkey meat

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Tahini Sauce:

½ cup tahini

½ cup water

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon za’atar seasoning (I use Trader Joes' seasoning)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

1. Generously coat spaghetti squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, face down, for 70-80 minutes, until the inside is easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, flip to cool.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and saute for 1 minute. Add kale in handfuls until wilted. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and half the bouillon crumbs. Saute the mushrooms until golden brown. Make sure bouillon cube is completely dissolved.

4. Add mushrooms to kale. Stir to combine. In pan used for mushrooms, brown turkey and incorporate rest of bouillon crumbles. Add to kale and mushrooms. Stir to combine.

For the Tahini Dressing:

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine until a creamy sauce forms.

Assemble the Bowls:

1. Divide the turkey mixture evenly into each squash half. Drizzle with tahini dressing and present in bowls, so they can be scooped out.