This easy Spaghetti Squash with Ground Beef and veggies recipe features tender spaghetti squash noodles topped with ground beef, peppers, onions, mushrooms and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to tie it all together. With only 9 simple ingredients, it's a low maintenance and delicious recipe perfect for any night of the week.
You can also make this entire meal using the oven and a frying pan or in the Instant Pot. I included instructions in the notes.
Spaghetti squash with ground beef and veggies is perfect for weekend or weeknight dinners! I most commonly make this recipe in the winter since spaghetti squash is in season during the Fall months but is available in stores and lasts through the winter.
Whether recovering from a glutening or simply looking for an unfussy weeknight dinner, you can guarantee I'm whipping this up! Since it's a gluten-free and paleo meal, this nutrient-dense meal is perfect for healing after illness or autoimmune flares.
At home, I bake the squash and pan fry the beef and veggies in a skillet. You can also pressure cook the spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot and use the sauté function for the beef and veggies (instructions in the recipe notes).
Either way, I'm sure you'll find you love this recipe as much as we do. And don't forget that drizzle of balsamic vinegar just before serving!
For more recipes using ground beef, check out my Savory Pumpkin Stew, No Bean Chili, and Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs recipes. For more recipes that can also be made with ground beef, check out my Ground Lamb Ragu Pasta and Instant Pot Cacciatore.
For more winter weeknight dinners, check out my Instant Pot Beef Stew with red wine, Tomato Soup with Shrimp, Easy Shrimp Paella, Blackened Shrimp Tacos, and Dairy Free Shrimp Scampi.
Jump to:
How to make it
Ingredient Notes
Spaghetti squash with ground beef is a simple, nutrient-dense meal using 9 real food ingredients.
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash are harvested in August, September, and October. They are often sold in supermarkets in the winter months since they stay fresh for several months after harvesting.
Choose a medium spaghetti squash with a nice oblong shape and consistent bright yellow color. Inspect the squash for soft spots, mold spots, or any discolorations before purchasing. The stem should be dry and mold-free.
Ground Beef
I recommend an 85/15 or 90/10 lean to fat ratio. You can substitute ground turkey or another lean ground meat. Or even a vegan meat substitute if you like.
More Ingredient Notes
- green bell pepper - Green bell pepper has the best flavor for this recipe and is less sweet than other bell pepper varieties. As a substitute, I recommend green beans or chopped zucchini.
- onion - I used a yellow onion but a white onion will also work well. You could even substitute a red onion, but it will give the ground beef mixture a sweeter flavor.
- mushrooms - I've used cremini or white mushrooms in this recipe.
- fresh basil leaves - Fresh basil and dried basil do not taste the same, and I really recommend fresh in this recipe.
- balsamic vinegar - Balsamic vinegar can be left out entirely, but I think it gives this dish a really fancy and flavorful finish.
You also need olive oil and salt to make this recipe.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Step-by-step Instructions
Learn how to make spaghetti squash with ground beef in just four easy steps.
- Bake the spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the spaghetti squash halves flat (cut side down) on a baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Saute the pepper and onion: Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and bell pepper in oil for five minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Mushrooms and ground beef: Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Once mushrooms release liquid after a few minutes, turn to high heat to boil off the liquid. Once most liquid is boiled off, reduce to medium heat and add the ground beef. Cook for about five minutes or until the beef is cooked through, crumbling the pieces as they cook. Then turn off heat and add fresh basil leaves. Stir into the mixture to wilt.
- Assemble: Use a fork to separate the spaghetti squash strands by gently scraping inwards from the sides, along the grain of the squash. Serve the ground beef and vegetable mixture on a pile of spaghetti noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to each dish.
Instant Pot Instructions
You can also make this entire spaghetti squash with ground beef recipe in the Instant Pot.
- Prepare the spaghetti squash: Halve and remove the seeds from the spaghetti squash.
- Cook the spaghetti squash: Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot. Then add the steamer rack trivet and place the spaghetti squash halves on top. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes, allowing steam to release naturally for 10 minutes after cooking. Then manually release the steam with the steam release button. Carefully remove the spaghetti squash.
- Saute the veggies and ground beef: Using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, follow the skillet instructions to cook the beef and veggies. All other instructions are the same.
Expert Tips
Make the best spaghetti squash with ground beef with these expert tips!
Add that balsamic drizzle at the end, after plated.
If you add balsamic vinegar to the skillet, you'll end up with too much remaining at the bottom. For even distribution, add the drizzle at the end, after plated.
Consider a substitution for the green bell pepper if having an autoimmune flare.
While this is a classic healing recipe in my home, know that bell peppers (part of the nightshade family) can aggravate some digestive symptoms.
In this case, substitute cut zucchini or green beans for the bell pepper.
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this spaghetti squash with ground beef recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
To store leftover spaghetti squash with ground beef, keep the spaghetti squash noodles and ground beef mixture in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. For leftovers, I assemble the plate as pictured and add the drizzle of balsamic vinegar and parsley garnish after heating.
You can cut the spaghetti squash widthwise or lengthwise for this recipe. Widthwise will create longer noodles that can sometimes get a little on the soft side in the center. Lengthwise creates shorter noodles that are more firm (I prefer it this way).
Absolutely! I haven't done this in a while, but will update with recipe details soon.
Since this recipe gets a lot of its flavor from the ground beef, I recommend a vegan meat substitute like Impossible ground meat or a vegan sausage for a vegan option.
Related easy ground beef recipes to consider...
Looking for more easy ground beef recipes like this spaghetti squash with ground beef recipe? Check these out:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comments below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Spaghetti Squash with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash , cut in half lengthwise* with seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium green bell pepper , sliced thinly and halved
- ½ large yellow onion , diced
- 16-18 medium mushrooms , cremini or white, quartered
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
For Serving:
- â…› teaspoon salt , plus more salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar drizzled over each serving
Instructions
- Bake the spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the spaghetti squash halves flat (cut side down) on a baking sheet or pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Saute the onion and pepper: Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and bell pepper in oil for five minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Mushrooms and ground beef: Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Once mushrooms release liquid after a few minutes, turn to high heat to boil off the liquid. Once most liquid is boiled off, reduce to medium heat and add the ground beef. Cook for about five minutes or until the beef is cooked through, crumbling the pieces as they cook. Then turn off heat and add fresh basil leaves. Stir into the mixture to wilt.
- Assemble: Use a fork to separate the spaghetti squash strands by gently scraping inwards from the sides, along the grain of the squash. Serve the beef and vegetable mixture on a pile of spaghetti noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to each dish.
Notes
Instant Pot Instructions:
-
- Prepare the spaghetti squash: Halve and remove the seeds from the spaghetti squash.
- Cook the spaghetti squash: Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot. Then add the steamer rack trivet and place the spaghetti squash halves on top. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes, allowing steam to release naturally for 10 minutes after cooking. Then manually release the steam with the steam release button. Carefully remove the spaghetti squash.
- Saute the veggies and ground beef: Using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, follow the skillet instructions to cook the beef and veggies. All other instructions are the same.
Anna says
SO simple yet so delicious! I can't believe that this is so tasty. We will be adding it to our weekly rotation in winter and Fall!