FYI: I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cabot Cheese and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
Wow, I am so into these broccoli cheese boats! The filling is a mixture of spaghetti squash and, essentially, a broccoli cheese dip. Very similar to a broccoli cheese soup, just a bit thicker! I am already dreaming of how else I can use this dip – kind of want to make it for every meal. The good news is, I could if I wanted to, as this dish is extremely budget-friendly yet very filling. Perfect for a fall family dinner — especially if you’ve got cheese lovers in the house.
The star of this dish is definitely the cheese, which is the delicious Cabot Creamery seriously sharp cheddar. Cabot is a cooperative, meaning it’s owned by 800 family farms and all of the profits go back to those farmers. In addition, they are the first dairy co-op to become a B-corp, which is a group of organizations that meet high standards for sustainable, eco-friendly, and socially responsible business practices. Love that!
Another bonus? All of Cabot’s cheddar cheeses are completely lactose-free! Big benefit for those of you who can’t handle lactose. Lastly, their cheeses are seriously delicious and the best I’ve tried — and I am a serious cheese lover, so that means a lot!
Okay, let’s get into how to cut and cook a spaghetti squash and how to make the the broccoli cheese dip to go inside!
how to cut and cook a spaghetti squash
While it may seem intimidating to know how to cut and cook spaghetti squash, it’s actually fairly easy. I love this post from Cookie + Kate about cooking spaghetti squash, which also has a handy video. Basically, you should first cut the top and bottom off of the squash so you can stand it on one end. Carefully slice through, lengthwise. Remove all seeds and stringy bits. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Next, flip them over!! This part is crucial. If you leave them cut-side-up, the moisture will pool in the squash. We want the cut side down to avoid this, as well as to achieve those lovely crisped and caramelized edges. So flip those spaghetti squash over!
Next, bake them (cut-side down!) in the oven at 400 F for 40-60 minutes. Differences in time arise with your oven strength and with the size of the spaghetti squash! You know it’s done when you can pierce through the squash with a fork, easily.
Now, the fun part! It’s super easy to make noodles out of the squash. Just take two forks and go crazy with scraping the sides of the squash. It should be very easy and come apart quickly; keep going until you get all the squash off the sides of the skin. Take a look:
broccoli cheese spaghetti squash boats: the how-to
While your spaghetti squash are cooking, it’s time to get going on the broccoli cheese dip!
A couple of things to know:
- It’s helpful to get all of your ingredients prepped and ready at the same time (AKA “mise en place”, the French term for “setting up”). This ensures you won’t be trying to chop up broccoli while your onions and garlic are burning. 🙂
- I used a tapioca flour slurry because I like how it thickens, but you could probably sub all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio and make a roux.
Broccoli Cheese Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 spaghetti squash medium-sized
- 1 head broccoli chopped into small pieces
- 1 large carrot shredded or grated
- 1 small yellow onion yields 1 cup diced
- 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
- 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1.5 cups unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt coarse
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
- To cook spaghetti squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the top and bottom off of each spaghetti squash, then stand on one end and slice through the squash carefully. Scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place cut-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on squash size and oven strength. Once you can pierce the squash with a fork easily, shred and fluff the squash with a fork until you get strings resembling spaghetti. Keep the squash noodles inside its "boat".
- Broccoli cheese dip: Prepare all vegetables according to ingredient list instructions.
- Add butter or olive oil to a large pot on medium heat; add garlic and onions and saute approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add chopped broccoli, shredded carrot, almond milk, and spices. Stir well.
- Make a tapioca slurry by mixing 2 Tbsp tapioca flour with 2 Tbsp water. Add to pot and stir well.
- Allow mixture to cook on medium heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is cooked through and the dip begins to thicken. It is fine if it remains slightly liquidy.
- Add the shredded cheese and mix well; cook for another 5 minutes.
- After the spaghetti squash are cooked and the "spaghetti" strands have been fluffed with a fork, spoon the broccoli cheese dip into the squash boats and mix with the spaghetti. Serve immediately.
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