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Creamy Spaghetti Squash

by Katerina

5 from 11 votes

Aug 03, 2021

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Baked spaghetti squash is tossed in a delicious homemade Alfredo sauce and mixed with fresh spinach and gooey mozzarella. You’ll love this low carb, filling twist on a classic pasta recipe! Creamy Spaghetti Squash is not to be missed.

 

Easy Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

A big bowl of piping-hot pasta in a cream sauce is always a comfort – especially if it’s a dish like fettuccine alfredo. That said, when you’re trying to eat healthy, you probably don’t want to be making that indulgent of a meal every week. Unfortunately. ?

So, when those rich, cheesy pasta cravings inevitably hit, I highly recommend giving my Creamy Spaghetti Squash recipe a try.

This spaghetti squash dinner is basically a low carb pasta alfredo, but instead of including real pasta, you sub in spaghetti squash. And, speaking from personal experience, you won’t even miss the pasta. Really! Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still be able to tell that what you’re eating is squash and not pasta, but it’s super delicious, and it’s good for you, too!

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite vegetables to work with because it’s very neutral-tasting, so it’s easy to season. In this recipe, you’ll bake the squash boats so that the “noodles” become nice and tender. Then you’ll mix them in with a cheesy cream sauce, add in some spinach, and top everything off with a gooey layer of mozzarella cheese. What could be better?

Is Spaghetti Squash Good for You?

Sure is! Spaghetti squash has got a number of vitamins and minerals in it – including vitamin C – and it’s also a good source of fiber. If you’re looking to cut down on carbohydrates, specifically, this squash is a great choice.

Long story short, it will fill you up with nutritious goodness, and it’s really fun to eat, too. I mean, how many vegetables out there naturally look like pasta noodles?

P.S. If you’re a spaghetti squash fan, be sure to try this irresistible Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash Boats recipe!

What You’ll Need

Okay, so besides a couple of spaghetti squash and some cheese, what do you need to make this dinner appear on the table? Let’s start by rounding up these key ingredients:

• Spaghetti Squash: Halved, with the seeds and membranes scooped out.
• Olive Oil: For brushing the squash with.
• Butter: It can be salted or unsalted, whatever you choose.
• Garlic: For extra flavor, minced.
• Heavy Cream: You can do a mix of milk and heavy cream to lighten things up, if needed.
• Parmesan: I like to use freshly grated parmesan cheese because it melts better.
• Italian Seasoning: This is an easy way to bring great flavor to your sauce.
• Mozzarella Cheese: You’ll mix this in with the pasta, and also put it on top of the squash boats for a super cheesy layer.
• Baby Spinach: You don’t have to include this, but I think it’s a tasty (and healthy!) addition.
• Other Seasoning: Simply use salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste.
• Garnish: I like to add chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional).

How to Make Creamy Spaghetti Squash

While making this dinner is a pretty easy process, it does require some advance notice. You’ll need to schedule some time to bake the squash (thus preparing the ‘noodles’), to make the cream sauce, to mix everything together, and to bake once more. It still shouldn’t take longer than an hour, though, which isn’t that bad. Right? ?

Anyway, here’s how this meal comes to be:

• Preheat Oven to 400˚F: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Prepare and Bake the Squash: Scoop out the seeds and stringy center from the squash and discard. Place squash cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; then turn them over, cut-sides down. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Let squash cool slightly, or until cool enough to handle.
• Shred the Squash: Using a fork, shred the spaghetti squash while leaving about a 1/4-inch border around the sides. Set strings aside and transfer unfilled boats back to the baking sheet. Set aside.
• Make the Sauce: In a large saute pan melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant. Slowly pour in heavy cream and whisk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until just thickened. Reduce heat to low, add parmesan and Italian seasoning; stir until melted. Remove from heat.
• Mix Everything Together: To the cream mixture, add the shredded spaghetti squash, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and the spinach; toss to coat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
• Bake Again: Divide the mixture evenly among the squash boats. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven; garnish with parsley. Serve.

Tips for Success

Got all that? Ready for the quiz?

Kidding, kidding, no quiz necessary. I do, however, have some tips that might make this spaghetti squash boat recipe easier:

• What to Scoop Out a Spaghetti Squash with: A large spoon usually works perfectly for scooping out the seeds and membranes of the squash, so, simple as it is, that’s what I use!
• If the Sauce Mixture Gets Too Thick: If your alfredo sauce gets too thick, add in a little more heavy cream.
• To Make it a Meal: I usually split 2 boats between 4 people as a side dish, but you could do a boat per person and make this a main course, if you wanted to.

Serving Suggestions

Wondering what to serve with your creamy spaghetti squash boats? I usually like to make them as a side dish alongside any of the following main courses:

• Steak: Instead of serving creamy pasta with your Oven Grilled Steak, serve up some delicious spaghetti squash! They’re the perfect pair.
• Salmon: If you’re looking for another source of protein, couple your spaghetti squash with this Garlic Butter Baked Salmon, instead!
• Chicken: Basically any chicken dinner will go well with this cheesy squash recipe, too. I would suggest something like Tender Instant Pot Chicken Breasts!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Scoop the ‘noodles’ out of the boats and store the leftover spaghetti squash in an airtight container.
• You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, put your leftovers in a baking dish and bake them in the oven at 400˚F for a few minutes until they are warmed through. Add extra mozzarella cheese to ensure that they’re nice and cheesy again. ?

ENJOY!

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5 from 11 votes

Creamy Spaghetti Squash

by Katerina | Diethood

Baked spaghetti squash mixed with a delicious homemade Alfredo sauce made with cream, fresh spinach, and gooey mozzarella. You'll love this low carb, filling twist on a classic pasta recipe!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 large spaghetti squash,, halved longwise, seeds and membranes scooped out
• ▢ olive oil,, for brushing
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic,, minced
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream,, (Half & Half or milk will also work, but won't be as rich)
• ▢ 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1¼ cups mozzarella cheese,, divided
• ▢ 6 ounces baby spinach
• ▢ salt,, to taste
• ▢ fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
• ▢ chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish, optional

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Scoop out the seeds and stringy center from the squash and discard.
• Place squash cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; then turn them over, cut-sides down.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Let squash cool slightly, or until cool enough to handle.
• Using a fork, shred the spaghetti squash while leaving about a 1/4-inch border around the sides.

  Set strings aside in a plate and transfer unfilled boats back to the baking sheet. Set aside.
• In a large sauté pan melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Slowly pour in heavy cream and whisk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until just starting to thicken.

  Reduce heat to low, add parmesan and Italian seasoning; stir until combined. Remove from heat.
• To the cream mixture, add the shredded spaghetti squash, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and the spinach; toss to coat.

  Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
• Divide mixture evenly among the squash boats.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

  Return to oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven.
• Cut squash boats in half.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

• NET CARBS: 9 g

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5585IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 566mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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