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This Italian-Style Spaghetti Squash Casserole is such a flavorful, simple, and healthy dinner casserole when you are craving comfort food! It’s low carb, gluten-free, and hearty!
How to Make A Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Craving Italian food? This spaghetti squash dinner filled with sautéed spinach and chicken is your answer. This is an amazing dinner, my friends. Everyone who has tried it absolutely loves it. A huge hit all around!
Gluten-free, Grain-free, dairy-free if you omit the cheese, and so filling! This dinner makes for the perfect meal-prep item as well. Make it at the beginning of the week and enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner all week long!
Ingredients
Scroll down for the full recipe!
- Spaghetti squash
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic
- Spinach
- Chicken Breasts
- Tomato Sauce
- Egg
- Italian Seasoning
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Garlic Powder
- Parmesan Cheese
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash
If cooking spaghetti squash feels intimidating to you, you’re not alone. But believe it or not, it’s actually super easy to make. I’ve put together instructions for making either roasted spaghetti squash or instant pot spaghetti squash.
You can find my full tutorial for two different methods on roasting spaghetti squash!
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise.
- Scoop out seeds.
- Brush inside with oil.
- Place facedown on baking sheet and adding water to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until you can pierce with a fork.
- Simply scrape out “spaghetti” with a fork and Enjoy!
How to Cut Spaghetti Squash (Safley)
Spaghetti squash has pretty thick walls so it can be somewhat difficult to cut through. Your best answer to safely cutting a spaghetti squash is to have a large sharp knife, and a flat stead surface to cut it. As long as you do it safely and proceed with caution, you will be just fine! Just follow these few simple steps:
- Set the squash horizontally on a cutting board.
- Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to cut off each end.
- Flip the squash so it stands upright with the widest end on the cutting board.
- With one hand, steady the spaghetti squash, and with the other press the knife into the squash before using your weight to leverage the knife through the squash.
- Once the knife is at least an inch inside the squash use your other hand to push down on the knife until it cuts through the squash entirely. Slice down the center to split it into two halves lengthwise.
- Once the squash is cut, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and it’s ready to cook!
Do You Eat the Skin of Spaghetti Squash?
No! Definitely not. While some types of squash have edible skin, spaghetti squash is not one of them. To serve the squash, you’ll scoop out the “noodles” and discard the skin.
Chicken For This Casserole
Feel free to make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot or shortcut with a rotisserie chicken!
Other Spaghetti Squash Recipes:
- Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
- Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
- Spaghetti Squash Boats with Homemade Meat Sauce
- Spaghetti Squash Primavera
- Fajita Spaghetti Squash Bake
- Spinach and Artichoke Spaghetti Squash
Watch the Video:
Italian-Style Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash:
- 1 Spaghetti squash sliced in half and seeds scooped out
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 3 handfuls fresh spinach
- 1 lb. organic boneless chicken breasts baked or boiled and shredded
- 1 cup tomato sauce of choice homemade or store-bought
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning more to taste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes more to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay spaghetti squash face down on baking sheet, and add 1/4 cup water. Bake for about 30 minutes until fork tender. Let cool.
- Once cool, scrape out spaghetti squash using a fork and place in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small skillet over medium-heat, heat oil and sauté garlic. Add spinach and sauté until wilted.
- Add spinach and garlic mixture, shredded chicken, tomato sauce, egg, cheese if using and spices to the bowl with the spaghetti squash. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer entire mixture to a baking dish.
- Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and red pepper flakes
- Bake at 375 °F for 10 minutes. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese has started to bubble and brown.
- Serve warm!
Do you include broth from cooking chicken in the casserole or just drained chicken?
Another fabulous recipe!!! This was a huge hit in our house.
SO happy!
What size spaghetti squash to use, since the sizes vary quite a bit?
Medium- large! It’s quite forgiving!
This is one of my go-to recipes. It’s delicious and easy for left overs. I find I like it with closer to 2 cups of sauce. I have prepared and given to new-mom-friends with a bagged salad – rave reviews! Thanks!
I wish I had read all the comments before I made it. 🙁 The squash REALLY needs to be drained before it’s assembled. Way too watery.
Best to bake in oven at 460° for 40-45 minutes. Squash is dry like you want it.
I made this today and OMG it’s SO good. This will definitely be on my weekly rotation. Only substitute I did was fat free shredded cheddar on top vs. parm. Thanks for sharing.
I was looking for some ideas for leftover Thanksgiving turkey and this popped up on my Facebook page.. I followed the suggestions from others and added a cup of mozzarella cheese. I also increased the meat to 2 cups of turkey. A huge hit with everyone. Next time I will add more spinach because of the way it cooks down, and I love spinach.
What size spaghetti squash to use, since the sizes vary quite a bit?
Medium- large! It’s quite forgiving!
Looks Delicious! Do you need to add the egg? Or can you substitute something else? Thanks!
We like to for binding, but you may be able to leave it out! Though we haven’t tested it that way.
Would be helpful to have WW Smartpoints. Sounds good but can’t use this on WW….?
This isn’t a WW blog 🙂 But feel free to paste the ingredients into your WW account for the points!
This was AMAZING! I added sauteed onion (one medium diced small) to the garlic and skipped the chicken because we are vegetarians. I also added a layer of homemade freshly roasted peppers before sprinkling the top with cubed fresh mozzarella. I put everything together yesterday and cooked it when I got home from work today. AGAIN, THIS WAS AMAZING! Will definitely make this again and probably add sauteed mushrooms next time. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
Love, love, love this recipe. Huge hit w/ my hubby & kiddos! Question – Since it takes a little longer to make , has anyone tried prepping the night before so all you have to do is pop the casserole in the oven on a busy weeknight? Thanks Lexi for all the healthy & delicious recipes! You Rock!
By tomato sauce you mean plain, not pasta sauce wth flavorings? We enjoy so many of your recipes! Thanks Lexi!
Correct. Canned tomato sauce.
This is such an amazing recipe. I was wondering if you ever freeze spaghetti squash?
Has anyone tried putting it together and baking the following day? Did it turn out ok?
What is the nutrition value of this recipe? I am on a low carb diet!
We’re in the midst of adding nutrition information. In the mean time, feel free to plug it into any free online calorie calculator like myfitnesspal!
A really tasty ad easy dish! I make this for my meal pres ad portion it out for my lunches ! It freezes well too. Loved it so much it’s my third time making it!!!
Thanks for sharing
Cindy 🙂