Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This scrumptious Spaghetti Squash Casserole is a low-carb riff on baked spaghetti that the whole family will love. It features tender spaghetti squash layered with a rich Italian sausage tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Once baked, enjoy it with your favorite side dishes for a delicious and comforting meal.

Ingredients to Make Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe

If you’re looking for more tasty ways to add vegetables to the menu, or to add more low-carb options to the family dinner rotation, this casserole is just the ticket. Spaghetti squash takes the place of pasta, and it’s packed with nutrients and fiber, too. Ingredients to make baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Squash: One large 3-4 pound spaghetti squash or two medium spaghetti squash cut in half and roasted. It replaces spaghetti in this casserole.
• Protein: Mild or spicy Italian sausage for seasoning the meaty tomato sauce.
• Onion and Garlic: One sweet onion and garlic cloves enhances the flavor of the marinara sauce.
• Canned Tomatoes: One can crushed tomatoes, one can petite diced Italian seasoned tomatoes and one can tomato sauce.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste binds the sauce and spaghetti squash layers.
• Seasonings: Dry Italian seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes for a hint of spice.
• Cheese: Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Garnishes: Fresh parsley or fresh basil ribbons for garnishing.

How to Make the BEST Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare the Pan to Roast the Squash: Cut spaghetti squash in half from top to bottom. Use a spoon to scrap out the seeds and pulp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place cut side down on the sheet pan. Bake per the cook time in the recipe until tender.
• Sauté Italian Sausage and Onion: Cook onion and Italian sausage until no pink remains. Drian excess fat from the pot. Add the garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
• Sauce Ingredients: To the pot add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce mixture to a gentle boil then lower the heat and simmer.
• Thicken the Sauce: Add the tomato paste and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine until the tomato paste has melted.
• Shred the Squash: Use a fork to shred spaghetti squash strands. Place into a colander lined with paper towels. Take another doubled paper towel and gently press excess liquid from the squash. Don’t mash, just gently press and blot, then fluff with a fork.
• Assemble: Spray a 9×9-inch or 10-inch oblong baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle sauce on the bottom. Top with spaghetti squash. Spread more meat sauce then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers ending with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Oven – Bake per the cook time in the recipe until bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
• Serve – Let stand 5 minutes, then slice into portions and serve.

Tips for Making Spaghetti Squash Casserole

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large rimmed baking sheet pan, sharp knife and chopping board, large skillet, measuring cups, measuring spoons, cheese grater and 9-inch baking dish or 10-inch baking dish.
• Drain The Spaghetti Squash Well: Spaghetti squash will have more moisture than pasta, it is a vegetable, after all. So once you’ve shredded the squash, gently blot and press the shreds with a paper towel to remove as much excess liquid as possible. There will still be some released while baking, this is normal and not an indication of an error along the way.
• Side Dishes to Serve with Spaghetti Squash Casserole: We like this dish with a big chopped salad on the side and garlic bread. You could also serve it with roasted broccoli, a wedge salad, roasted cauliflower, dinner rolls or bacon wrapped asparagus bundles.

Recipe Variations

• Cheese: You could use an Italian cheese blend, cheddar cheese, gouda cheese or pepper jack cheese for spice, in place of mozzarella.
• Protein: You could make the sauce using an alternate ground meat such as lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken.
• Herbs: You could add fresh herbs to the sauce in addition to using them for garnishing. Try fresh rosemary, parsley or oregano.
• Cream Cheese: You could add a layer of softened spreadable cream cheese between the spaghetti squash and the tomato sauce layers. This would add a creamy, tangy element to the overall flavor profile.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store leftover Spaghetti Squash Casserole in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a preheated 350°F oven just until heated through. Expect to see more liquid released when reheated, as the squash will release more juices after reheating.
• Freezer: I’ve frozen this casserole before, but I don’t recommend it. There was a lot of liquid released when it was thawed in the fridge and the sauce really broke down due to this. It’s best to make this casserole and enjoy it.

More Easy Casseroles to Make

• This Doritos Casserole will take you from family dinners to game day snacks.
• This Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Casserole is a one dish meal.
• Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole uses uncooked chicken to make prep a cinch.
• Six ingredient Easy Cornbread Casserole is bound to become a family favorite.
• This Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread is perfection alongside collard greens and mac and cheese.
• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is flavor packed. 
• Add this Mexican Cornbread Casserole to the dinner rotation.
• Teriyaki Chicken Casserole from Life in the Lofthouse.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Baking Dish
• Knife Set
• Cheese Grater
• Measuring Set

Print

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian Inspired, Southern

Keyword easy-spaghetti-squash-casserole, spaghetti-squash-recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Stand time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 351kcal

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 lb spaghetti squash (Or 2 medium spaghetti squash)
• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups petite diced Italian seasoned tomatoes
• 1 cup can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese divided use
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 5 oz can Italian seasoned tomato paste
• chopped parsley or basil for garnishing

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet pan with heavy duty foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Cut spaghetti squash in half from top to bottom. Use a spoon to scrap out the seeds and pulp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place cut side down on the sheet pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the center.
• Meanwhile, In a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook onion and Italian sausage in a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes or just until no pink remains. Drian excess fat from the pot. Add the garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
• To the pot add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce mixture to a gentle boil then immediately lower the heat to medium low. Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Once sauce is done, uncover and add the tomato paste and 4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine until the tomato paste has melted. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Use a fork to shred the spaghetti squash into long strands. Place into a colander lined with paper towels. Take another doubled paper towel and gently press excess liquid from the squash. Don't mash, just gently blot, then fluff the squash with a fork.
• Assemble: Spray a 9×9-inch or 10-inch oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Ladle 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Top with 1/2 of the spaghetti squash. Spread the squash with 1 cup sauce and then cover with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Spread 1 cup sauce over the mozzarella cheese, then top with final half of Spaghetti squash. Drizzle the final layer of spaghetti squash with 1 cup of sauce. Cover the top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes until the bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
• Let stand 5 minutes, then cut with a knife into portions and serve. (Drain any excess liquid carefully from the dish, if needed.)

Notes

• Cheese: You could use an Italian cheese blend, cheddar cheese, gouda cheese or pepper jack cheese for spice, in place of mozzarella.
• Protein: You could make the sauce using an alternate ground meat such as lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken.
• Herbs: You could add fresh herbs to the sauce in addition to using them for garnishing. Try fresh rosemary, basil, parsley or oregano.
• Cream Cheese: You could add a layer of softened spreadable cream cheese between the spaghetti squash and the tomato sauce layers. This would add a creamy, tangy element to the overall flavor profile.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1401mg | Potassium: 654mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 3mg

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