This Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Goat Cheese is delicious, savory, gluten-free, low-carb, and totally satisfying!

There’s nothing fancier than spaghetti squash pasta, and that’s an opinion I’ll stand behind! It’s so delicious that it’s hard to believe it’s a healthier pasta alternative. For this recipe, we’re taking regular, good old squash noodles and pairing them with mushrooms, spinach, and goat cheese for a savory dish that’s ridiculously satisfying.
This is an old recipe, back from when this blog wasn’t completely vegetarian. We used bacon back then, but today we’re replacing the bacon with smoky, umami-packed mushrooms!
We pack in the veggies for a Nutrition A+ and use ingredients like liquid smoke, soy sauce, and maple syrup for extra flavor. The prep will only require 20 minutes of your time, so you can rest assured that you won’t be stuck in the kitchen for very long.
In addition to being delicious, this meal is gluten-free, low-carb, and vegetarian. It’s easily made vegan by simply omitting the goat cheese or using a non-dairy alternative. All of these factors make this a wonderful option for serving to guests with varying food preferences and restrictions! Serve it up in the shells for bonus presentation points.
Here’s what you’ll need
This recipe is all about flavor. Gather the following 9 ingredients, and let’s get started!
- Spaghetti Squash: For two to three servings of delicious spaghetti squash, we will need 1 medium-sized squash. Choose one that’s golden or dark yellow and that feels nice and firm.
- Olive Oil: We will use olive oil both to roast the squash and to saute some of the ingredients.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms are one of the main ingredients in this recipe, adding meaty substance and lots of savory flavor! We’ll be cooking them to crispy browned perfection on the stove.
- Marinade: We’ll marinate the mushrooms in soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup to replicate the flavor of bacon!
- Wine: We will use ¼ cup of wine during the cooking process to deglaze the pan (i.e. to incorporate all the flavor bits that are stuck to the pan after cooking the mushrooms). Feel free to use either red or white.
- Spinach: We’ll be sautéing 3 cups of fresh spinach to pair with the mushrooms. Don’t worry, it’ll cook down!
- Goat Cheese: Finally, top with 2-4 oz of fresh goat cheese for the perfect finishing touch.
How to make goat cheese spaghetti squash
This recipe involves six simple steps. We’ll start by roasting the squash, and then we’ll move onto preparing the veggies and flavor ingredients. Finally, everything can be served on plates or in fancy shmancy squash bowls!
Step 1: Prep the spaghetti squash
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut the spaghetti squash in half (width or lengthwise) and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the inside with olive oil and rub it to evenly coat. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet and poke the outside a few times with a fork. This will allow heat to penetrate into the tough skin, while steaming the inside!
Step 2: Roast the squash
Roast for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender but still a little firm. When finished, flip the squash halves over and allow them to cool enough to touch.
Step 3: Prepare the mushrooms
While the squash is roasting, prepare the mushrooms. Clean and slice each into ¼ inch thick slices. Then, in a large bowl, stir the remaining oil with the soy, maple, and liquid smoke. Stir in the mushrooms, tossing to evenly coat. Transfer to a large sauté pan and cook over high until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. You may need to drain the excess water while cooking to help them brown.
Step 4: Add the wine and spinach
Next, with the heat still on, add the wine to the pan of mushrooms, stirring until it evaporates. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts down. Remove from heat.
Step 5: Spaghettify the squash
Use a fork to scrape strands from the inside of the spaghetti squash. If serving the final dish in the shells, leave about ¼ inch of flesh in the squash to support the bowls.
Step 6: Assemble the dish
Add the spaghetti squash noodles and goat cheese to the pan of mushrooms, stirring to evenly combine. Add salt and pepper as needed to suit your taste. Serve warm, topped with crushed red pepper flakes.
Spaghetti squash recipe tips
Here are some helpful tips that should make your cooking experience that much easier!
Cutting the squash
When it comes to cutting the squash, you have two options: horizontal or lengthwise. For longer spaghetti strands, slice the squash horizontally. Cut lengthwise for a prettier presentation when serving the meal in the squash shell!
Why we use wine
In this recipe, wine helps to deglaze the pan. When sautéing the mushrooms, it helps to get all of the flavorful bits that may be stuck on the pan to go back into the mushrooms!
Storage
This meal can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 4-5 days, so eat up!
More dishes for goat cheese lovers
Do you love goat cheese as much as me? It’s tangy, creamy flavor is the perfect final touch for so many different types of recipes! If you liked it in this spaghetti squash dish, you’ll love these ideas too. The sweet potato recipe is a personal favorite!
- Roasted Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
- Goat Cheese Pizza with Mushrooms and White Sauce
- Smashed Sweet Potato with Roasted Grapes
- Berry Salad with Lavender Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 2 Tbsp olive oil divided, 30 mL
- 8 oz button mushrooms 225 g
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce 15 mL
- 1 tsp maple syrup 5 mL
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
- ¼ cup wine red or white
- 3 cups fresh spinach 100 g
- 2-4 oz fresh goat cheese 55 to 110 g
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut* spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the inside with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, then rub to evenly coat. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet and prick the outside with a fork.
- Roast: Roast for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender but still a little firm. When finished, flip over and allow to cool enough to touch.
- Mushrooms: Meanwhile clean and slice mushrooms into ¼ inch thick slices. In a large bowl, stir together remaining oil, soy, maple, and liquid smoke. Stir in the mushrooms, tossing to evenly coat. Transfer to a large saute pan and cook over high until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes (drain excess water while cooking if needed to help them brown).
- Wine + Spinach: With the heat still on, add the wine to the pan of mushrooms, stirring until it evaporates. Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts down. Remove from heat.
- Spaghettify: Use a fork to scrape strands from the inside of the spaghetti squash. (If serving in the shells, leave about ¼ inch of flesh in the squash to support your bowls.)
- Assemble: Add spaghetti squash noodles and goat cheese to the pan of mushrooms, stirring to evenly combine. Serve warm, topped with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Jennifer Kasparian says
Made this for dinner tonight, creamy, salty, savory, velvety squash heaven! Great for a low carb dinner and will definitely keep this on hand. Highly recommended for sure!
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Jennifer! 🙂
Betsy says
I love this recipe. Why is the pinterest icon not bringing up a pin for it?
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Betsy! I didn’t start making the long “fancy” pins for recipes until recently (this is an older recipe), so you should just see a picture pop up when you go to pin it. Is that what you mean? Or is not pin coming up for you at all?
Heather says
Can you use feta or some other cheese? Goat is not my favorite!
Sarah says
Hi Heather! Feta would also work well 🙂
me says
good stuff!
Samara says
Where has spaghetti squash been all my life! This recipe is delicious – will become a staple in my house.
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Samara 😀
Colleen says
Is it possible to omit the honey? I’m really trying to cut down on my carbs. Do you think leaving that out would ruin the taste?
Sarah says
Hi Colleen! I think it would be fine to omit 🙂
Susan says
This was outstanding! Made it last night. It deserves 10 stars . Delicious !!! Can’t wait to make it for friends next week.
Sarah says
So happy to hear Susan! Enjoy! 😀
Jimma Holder says
I do not care for goat cheese, feta, or blue cheese. Is there an alternative?
Thanks
Sarah says
Cream cheese might work well here! And perhaps a squeeze of lemon juice to compensate for the acidity/sourness of the goat cheese.
Veronica says
This was really good. I actually used some bacon and smoked maple syrup, so yummy. I added extra spinach and mushrooms as my squash was rather large. I used white wine and every last bite was gone at the end of the meal.
Nadia says
I made this and it was totally inedible. It smelled awful. It tasted even worse.
I followed the recipe to the letter. This has put me off spaghetti squash forever.
Sarah says
So sorry to hear it, Nadia! Spaghetti squash isn’t for everyone (and along those lines, goat cheese and mushrooms also aren’t for everyone!).
Quiche says
Ha!
I’m a chef cooking it for the first time for my clients, and it’s definitely not great…I was sitting here wondering what I could do to improve it next time…IF there’s a next time!😜
Lee says
I had spaghetti squash, cremini and shiitake mushrooms, and spinach from Misfits Market. Bought the other ingredients to make. Added a bit of garlic to the mushroom mixture. It was excellent. Don’t know why the previous poster said it was “inedible.” And true, if you’re not a fan of goat cheese, it might seem inedible. Thanks for this recipe!
Christine says
YUMMO! Loved this recipe. Def worth heating the oven in June. Goat cheese makes this dish
Courtney says
Made this so many times and it’s so delish! I am not a goat cheese fan, so I substitute it for feta. My husband loves the goat cheese on it.
I also made it with regular pasta (once) because I didn’t have squash and it was great! However, prefer the low carb squash version much better!
Tammy says
I can’t wait to make this recipe again! The goat cheese was a perfect addition to make it taste a little more elevated than a traditional weeknight meal! Thanks and I’ll be looking at your other recipes.
Stacy says
So I was skeptical when I read maple syrup, liquid smoke, and soy sauce…but this is SO GOOD!! I actually marinated the mushrooms overnight in the sauce and added a little garlic powder and onion powder to them as they caramelized. I also added cooked crumbled turkey sausage and it was delicious
Sarah Bond says
Those are my go-to combo for replicating bacon flavor! Enjoy! 😀
Linnea Reese says
Just made it tonight! Super easy and tastes great.
Sarah Bond says
Yay! Thanks for letting me know how it went, Linnea! 😀