It’s a comfort food to the rescue day! I have an easy, cheesy, and low-carb healthy Spaghetti Squash Casserole recipe for you. Whether you are looking for a meal to match your cozy night on the couch…or are already anticipating the week of easy, healthy dinners you are going to need after the weekend, this casserole has you covered!
Growing up, spaghetti squash was an “on the side” affair…and even then, only if was topped with an appropriate level of butter and brown sugar. I still enjoy baked spaghetti squash this way every now and then for the sake of nostalgia—and because who am I pretending to be here? It’s delicious. I’ve also come to adore spaghetti squash as a component of more savory sides such as Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan Mushrooms and main dish recipes like Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats, Spaghetti Squash Boats with Chicken and Bacon, and today’s Italian-inspired Spaghetti Squash Casserole.
The casserole filling is an easy mix of roasted and shredded spaghetti squash, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, Italian spices, and ground turkey (you can do the Spaghetti Squash Casserole with chicken instead if you prefer). All of the ingredients cook together in a single pan, and you can even get a head start by roasting the spaghetti squash up to three days in advance.
The Making of Spaghetti Squash Casserole
If spaghetti squash has been mostly a side hustle on your dinner plate too, this Spaghetti Squash Casserole with ground turkey is the perfect way to explore its versatility in main-dish recipes. The squash’s neutral flavor makes it easy to blend with a wide range of flavors, it adds bulk to just about any recipe, and it’s packed with vitamins C and A and high in fiber.
It also keeps this Spaghetti Squash Casserole low carb. One serving of this healthy casserole has just 8 grams of carbs and a whopping 20 grams of protein!
A shower of low-fat mozzarella on top gives this casserole that iconic bubbly, cheesy casserole “lid,” but if you are avoiding dairy or want to make this Spaghetti Squash Casserole Paleo, you can always omit it. Household members divided on the cheese? Keep it on the side and allow each person to sprinkle on his or her own.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead. Spaghetti squash can be roasted, shredded, and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to make the casserole, add to the filling in Step 2 as directed.
- To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze. I haven’t tried freezing the casserole yet, but as a reader pointed out in the comments (thanks, Andrea!), spaghetti squash can get watery when thawed. If that doesn’t bother you, here’s what to do: Bake as directed, let cool, and then tightly cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in a 350 degree F oven, covered, until warmed through. Uncover and bake 5 or so additional minutes, until hot and bubbly.
More Delicious Spaghetti Squash Recipes
For a little step by step, I have a new video for you below. If you try this recipe, I’d love to know what you think. Thanks as always for your kind reviews and the 5-star ratings too. I can’t say enough how much they mean to me and how helpful they are to others who might be considering the recipe too!
Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 small/medium spaghetti squash about 2 pounds
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 small red onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper cored and diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can 14.5-ounce diced tomatoes with Italian spices, drained
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings of choice or a mix of oregano, basil, and thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if sensitive to spice
- 1 cup freshly grated part-skim mozzarella or provolone cheese divided
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast the spaghetti squash according to this recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash. When cool enough to handle, pull the squash strings out of the squash's center with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl. The squash strings should look like spaghetti.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high. Add the turkey, onion, bell pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Let cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has cooked off, about 4 minutes, and then add the reserved squash. Cook and stir until most of the remaining liquid has cooked off, about 1 to 2 minutes more, increasing the heat if needed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. There may be some liquid remaining in the pan.
- Lightly coat a deep 8×8-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. With a slotted spoon, scoop the squash mixture into the pan in an even layer, discarding any excess liquid (some in the pan is OK—just not too much). Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and then return to the oven and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 to 10 additional minutes. For an extra-golden-brown top, place the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley and/or basil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Make it ahead: Spaghetti squash can be roasted, shredded, and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to make the casserole, add to the filling in Step 2 as directed.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- I haven’t tried freezing the casserole yet, but as a reader pointed out in the comments (thanks, Andrea!), spaghetti squash can get watery when thawed. If that doesn’t bother you, here’s what to do: Bake as directed, let cool, and then tightly cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in a 350 degree F oven, covered, until warmed through. Uncover and bake 5 or so additional minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- To make Paleo or Whole30 friendly: omit the cheese
Nutrition
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I am excited to try this recipe but I can’t figure out how this is low carb… I plugged it into the recipe builder on myfitnesspal and it’s saying the squash is 63 carbs for 2 pounds? Do I have the measurements correct? Thanks!
Hi Bekah! That seems like an error of some sort to me. As you can see my nutritional facts says 7g per serving and that’s including all of the other ingredients. Also doing a quick Google search a 4 pound spaghetti squash yields about 5 cups, with 1 cup being about 7 grams of carbs. We are only using a 2 pound squash for this recipe so it will be much less. Hope this helps!
I made this casserole last night. I enjoyed it and will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipes Erin!
Hi Deborah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Loved it! I don’t eat meat, so I replaced the ground turkey with a 15oz can of chickpeas and added an extra pepper. It was perfect. Will definitely make again!
Hi Patti! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I took one look at this recipe and knew I wanted to mate the casserole. I grow my own squash and love cooking with it. Especially after storing it for the winter and enjoying it in February and March. It was so tasteful. Thanks for sharing the recipe and all the details for making the casserole. Perfect!
Hi Larry! Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this awesome recipe! I REALLY loved this and will keep as a staple dish. Simple, tons of veggies, flavorful, and even a little luxurious with gooey mozzarella.
I only had ground chorizo in the freezer, so I omitted some of the extra seasonings. Of course my version is a little less healthy, and I look forward to trying with the ground turkey next time. I’m not always a fan of spaghetti squash, so this will be my go-to way to use it.
Hi Ally! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Yuummmy! I had the ingredients so tried it tonight to my delight! In the next preparation I’ll use a slotted spoon as recommended and let the finished product rest 5 minutes. The second serving had time to set before eating it.
This recipe stands by itself. However, I believe next time I’ll spread one Tablespoon of slivered almonds over the top prior to adding the last of the cheese. I’ll le’cha know.
Thanks Erin. Very nice.
Fred.
Hi Fred! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this b/c it is low cal and low carb. Surprise, surprise it is also delicious!!! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was my first time making anything with spaghetti squash and I was skeptical that I would get a non-watery dish. I was very pleasantly surprised that it turned out perfectly, even with my lack of skills! This was tasty and perfectly seasoned. Definitely a keeper!
Hi Tezra! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Good! I didn’t have any bell peppers so I added carrots and celery. You could substitute any vegetables I imagine because it was still good. Only downside is it needed a ton of more seasoning. Like, I literally added so much more seasoning. If you want more flavor you might as well double the seasoning. Very filling though and my husband loved it.
Hi Naiema! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Erin,
This was great coming from someone who sucks at cooking. My husband even had seconds.
Thank you for making it so easy to follow!!!
Lucy
Hi Lucy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was a great meal. I used ground beef since I had it on hand and I kept it all the same, the whole family enjoyed, and the leftovers were also great!
Hi Jenna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
If I want to use chicken, should I prepare the recipe the same way? Breasts or thighs?
Hi Lisa, I’ve only tested the recipe as written, but you likely could use chicken. Either could work. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I know that some people are understandably irritated when the recipe isn’t rated AS IS. I loved the flavor produced by these ingredients, however I did make the following adjustments.
Using a deep 9 X 13 casserole, I used 3 lbs ground turkey, and WAY more grated mozzarella (more like almost 2 lbs). I seasoned according to how I thought it needed to be.
My health-conscious sister, who is sometimes stingy with proportions of meat, LOVED it.
Thanks for the feedback Jeff!
Excellent post
Thanks
Thank you!
I made this for a family member for meal prep after her surgery and her family devoured it. If anyone is wondering if it freezes well – it does. Amazing recipe.
Hi Noèlle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! And thanks for the feedback on freezing!
Made this exactly as directed and it is delicious! It has a little heat to it, which is fine by me. As low calorie as it is, I’m able to enjoy it guilt free.
Hi Nancy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!