Gluten Free Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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This healthy Beef Stroganoff recipe brings back a classic dish but makes it lighter and fresher with lean beef and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Plus, you can enjoy it as a low carb and gluten free dinner by serving it in stuffed spaghetti squash boats. But it is still rich, creamy, and totally satisfying and delicious.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Beef Checkoff in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Originally published on January 24, 2016. Updated on January 6, 2020.

Classic Beef Stroganoff

It still amazes me how tastes change how you get older. Even aromas that once made you want to turn up your nose grow to evoke feelings of nostalgia. And one of the most interesting and fun and satisfying aspects of being a recipe developer and food blogger is being inspired to revisit childhood memories, then transforming foods that as a kid you didn’t even want to touch into new family favorites.

I also happen to love using the opportunity to take things I have learned to incorporate fresher ingredients and make them maybe just a bit healthier, just as I did with my mom’s classic Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet Dinner.

When I was a little girl, whenever I’d detect the familiar smell and saw the bag of egg noodles on the counter, I knew my mom was making Beef Stroganoff from her well-loved, dog-eared copy of the classic Betty Crocker Cookbook.

I was a picky eater, so was never too happy when I knew it was on the menu, but now as an adult, opening the lid and smelling the simmering sauce makes my mouth water and acts like a culinary time machine, transporting back to the little kitchen of my childhood home.

I hope it does the same for you, but maybe in a little healthier way.

Sliced of beef with a mushroom sauce in half of a spaghetti squash

Betty Crocker’s Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Since that cookbook was found in plenty of homes around the country, I’m sure many of us are familiar with this dish. Chunks of beef and sauteed mushrooms are covered in a rich sauce that is tangy and creamy from stirring in sour cream. The dish is then completed by serving it over a pile of egg noodles.

How I’ve Modified the Original Recipe

How did I lighten it up without sacrificing any of the flavor and texture you expect? It just takes a few simple adjustments and substitutions.

  • Beef: use a lean cut of beef like Top Sirloin Steak. Because the beef is cooked quickly then simmered in a sauce, it still stays tender.
  • Butter: the total amount was reduced and some was replaced with heart-healthy olive oil.
  • Flour: instead of a flour-based roux, the sauce is thickened with a cornstarch slurry.
  • Sour cream: for the creaminess you crave without additional fat and calories, low fat or nonfat Greek yogurt is the perfect substitution. In fact, you might find the yogurt, because of its thick texture, tastes more like sour cream than low fat or non fat sour cream.
  • Egg noodles: you can still serve the Beef Stroganoff over egg noodles or gluten free pasta. But if you really want to lighten it up, make it naturally gluten free and reduce the carb count significantly, it’s delicious served as a beef stuffed spaghetti squash.
Fork picking up slices of beef and mushrooms with spaghetti squash

Recipe Ingredients

This healthy beef stroganoff recipe is pretty quick and easy to make! Here’s what you’ll need to make it. Scroll down to the recipe card for amounts.

  • Spaghetti squash – cut in half with the seeds scraped out and cook spaghetti squash using your favorite method.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Unsalted butter
  • Sliced mushrooms
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Beef sirloin steak – cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.
  • Beef stock
  • Worcestershire sauce – be sure it is gluten free, if necessary. In the United States, Lea & Perrins is gluten free.
  • Cornstarch
  • Plain Greek yogurt
  • Grated parmesan cheese

How to Make Healthy Beef Stroganoff

Here is a brief overview so you can see just how easy it is to make. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full quantities and details.
But don’t skip my PRO TIPS below!

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet an saute the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in the same pan and brown the beef
  3. Add broth, salt, and Worcestershire sauce to the beef in the pan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining half cup of broth and cornstarch, stir into the beef mixture in the pan, add back the mushroom mixture, and boil till thickened.
  5. Turn off the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt.

You can now serve it over egg noodles, gluten free pasta, or even mashed potatoes or brown rice. But you can also turn it into these stuffed spaghetti squash boats.

Stuffing the Spaghetti Squash

If you want to make the spaghetti squash boats, after you’ve cooked your spaghetti squash, scrape out the noodles and set the shells aside. Drain the spaghetti squash noodles on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Divide the noodles and beef mixture between the shells, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and heat through in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes.

Fork in a stuffed spaghetti squash picking up a piece of meat and a mushroom

Make it a Meal

While this can truly be a meal on its own, you can also add sides if you feel you need more veggies or want to add some carby comfort.

Instead of spaghetti squash, serve the Beef Stroganoff over:

Or have a vegetable side dish:

Half os a spaghetti squash stiffed with sliced beef and mushrooms
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More healthy beef recipes

Make sure you check out 12 of the Best Spaghetti Squash Recipes So Good You’ll Forget About Pasta!

This Skinny Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Spaghetti Squash will reignite a newfound love for this classic dish.

It is so full of flavor with plenty of meaty texture from both the beef and the abundance of mushrooms. The sauce is thick and velvety without being heavy, and it soaks in and coats the spaghetti squash for a creamy and comforting meal.

Beef Stroganoff with Mushrooms inside a spaghetti squash boat
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Healthy Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Lighten up the classic recipe and make it gluten free and low carb too, by using lean beef and Greek yogurt, and serving it in spaghetti squash boats.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 small spaghetti squash, halved, or 1 medium squash, cut into quarters
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock or both
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, low fat or nonfat
  • 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • Cut you spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Bake cut side down on a baking sheet for 45 minutes-1 hour or until tender. Alternatively, you can microwave for 8-10 minutes.
  • Using two forks, scrape the “noodles” out of the spaghetti squash and set the shells aside for later. Place the squash noodles in a paper towel-lined colander to drain the excess moisture.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pan. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic, and cook till tender, then remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in the same pan and add the beef, and cook until browned on all sides.
  • Add 1 cup of the broth, salt, and Worcestershire sauce to the beef in the pan.
  • Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of broth and cornstarch. Stir the slurry into the beef mixture in the pan, add back the mushroom mixture, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt.
  • Place the squash shells in a baking dish. Divide the squash noodles between the shells and make a well in the center. Divide the beef mixture between the shells and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  • Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until heated through and golden brown.

Notes

Adapted from Betty Crocker.
Nutrition Facts
Healthy Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Amount Per Serving (0.5 squash)
Calories 508 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 111mg37%
Sodium 746mg31%
Potassium 1602mg46%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 8g32%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 49g98%
Vitamin A 685IU14%
Vitamin C 14.2mg17%
Calcium 237mg24%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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32 Comments
  1. tami

    This was delicious! not a fan of spaghetti squash but making some life style changes. Kept going back for more bites. Also I don’t know if you wanted me to feel like a serious pintrest success but your food looks great, however, with the Parmesan crust on the top of mine it was even more the show stopper. Thanks for boosting up my dinner game.

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Thank you so much for the compliment, and I’m so happy that you enjoyed the spaghetti squash, Tami!

  2. Sarah

    I made this, but with ground beef. It was amazing! A great recipe to use up my bounty of spaghetti squash! My husband usually turns up his nose at squash, but he loved it too! Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      SO glad to hear that your family enjoyed the skinny stroganoff spaghetti squash, Sarah. Thanks for coming back to let us know!

  3. I’ve always wanted to try spaghetti squash but having it with just tomato sauce never looked appealing. I love beef stroganoff and this recipe is perfect – healthy and totally what is going to make me try that squash!

  4. Mother of 3

    This sounds so yummy… and I happen to have a spaghetti squash in my fridge! We’ll be trying this soon. Thank you for sharing a “different” spaghetti squash recipe than the typical red sauce, meat and cheese!

  5. I love that your recipe was evoked by family memories. I also love how you reinvented it. I am definitely going to try this recipe out for Grumpy and me, it is one he can totally eat and it looks yummy!

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