Made with tender roasted spaghetti squash in lieu of typical pasta, these spaghetti squash carbonara boats are rich, creamy, and loaded with lots of crispy bacon and fresh Parmesan!
Staying in for V-Day tomorrow? If you’re still on the fence, you’re gonna want to cancel those steak dinner plans immediately because we’ve got carbonara in the house.
Minus the actual pasta, but HEAR ME OUT. These boats are so loaded with the works, you won’t even miss it one bit.
Plus, can we talk about the boats form?? Instant win in dinner land when you get to consume your meal out of a cute little boat.
Only 8 basic ingredients on the docket today with these boats and you can even have them on the table in only 40 minutes! The longest part is just roasting the spaghetti squash and while that’s happening you’ll have plenty of time to prep all your other ingredients.
This Spaghetti Squash features…
- Tender roasted spaghetti squash
- A rich and creamy Parmesan egg sauce
- Crispy bacon and lots of fresh parsley
Making the Spaghetti Squash Boats
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Spaghetti squash
- Olive oil
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Bacon
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Parsley
How to Prep Spaghetti Squash
You will need 2 small spaghetti squash for this recipe. I recommend choosing small ones because they roast quicker and make a reasonable single serving size.
To prep the spaghetti squash for roasting, carefully cut each squash in half and use a spoon to scrape seeds out. Rub the inside of squash with oil, salt, and pepper and roast cut-side down 25-30 minutes until tender.
Tips for Perfect Spaghetti Squash Boats
- Scrape spaghetti squash with a fork – use a fork to pull apart the strands of squash.
- Use freshly-grated Parmesan – freshly-grated cheese melts much better than pre-grated in the sauce for this carbonara.
- Beat eggs well before tossing with pasta – this will help the eggs form into a sauce once added to the squash without any unwanted chunks.
- Serve carbonara immediately after assembly – carbonara unfortunately does not store well due to the egg sauce. I recommend serving immediately for best results.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these boats.
- Add real pasta – fold 8 oz cooked spaghetti into spaghetti squash.
- Make it vegetarian – skip the bacon and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Use a different cheese – try asiago in place of the Parmesan.
- Add vegetables – fold sauteed spinach, mushrooms, or sweet peppers into spaghetti squash.
Serving Suggestions
This spaghetti squash is amazing all on its own but also goes great alongside other dishes as well! Try it with seared steak, pork loin, pork chops, roast chicken, garlic bread, or a big green salad.
It’s the creamy sauce, crispy bacon bits, and freshly-grated Parmesan that really makes this spaghetti squash! The tender spaghetti squash “noodles” soak up every bit of that goodness.
I never thought the day would come, but I actually don’t even miss the real pasta whatsoever in these boats. Trust me, that’s the only proof you need that these are the real deal!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More spaghetti squash favorites you’ll love!
- Spinach Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats
- Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Soup
- Stuffed Chili Spaghetti Squash Boats
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Boats
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Ingredients
- 2 small spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices bacon or pancetta, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup warmed chicken broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Additional Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a large sheet pan and set aside.
- Cut each spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Rub interior of each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay squash halves, cut side-down on prepared sheet pan and bake at 400F 25-30 minutes until squash is tender (you may have to roast longer if using larger spaghetti squash).
- Allow squash to cool slightly, then use a fork to shred the inside of squash into noodles and place in a large bowl (do not discard the squash boats). Keep squash warm and set aside for a moment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, egg, and Parmesan until completely smooth. Set aside for a moment.
- In a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat, cook diced bacon or pancetta until crispy, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Add garlic to bacon drippings in pan over medium heat and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Add spaghetti squash noodles and 1/2 cup warm chicken broth to pan. Cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes until liquid mostly is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool 1 minute.
- Whisk remaining 1/4 cup warm chicken broth into egg yolks until smooth. Fold egg sauce into hot spaghetti squash mixture, folding with a wooden spoon until a creamy sauce forms and coats spaghetti squash.
- Stir parsley and bacon into carbonara and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape spaghetti squash carbonara back into boats and top with additional grated Parmesan for serving. Enjoy!
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