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Home » Recipes » Casserole

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

September 26, 2022 by Lisa Goldfinger 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

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various images of spaghetti squash casserole, one in an oval casserole pan and then two plates with slices of the casserole

This simple spaghetti squash casserole recipe harnesses the intense savory flavors of tomato paste, onion powder and sharp cheddar cheese, to make an easy, healthy vegetarian meal that will satisfy your comfort food cravings. 

white oval casserole of spaghetti squash and tomato sauce with melted cheese on top and a sprig of basil

Spaghetti squash works beautifully in a casserole.  I say that with a mixture of excitement and surprise because until recently I had never used spaghetti squash other than as a healthy substitute for pasta, topped with my favorite turkey ragu.

This recipe came about by accident while I was working on a post about the best way to cook spaghetti squash. I had a LOT of cooked spaghetti squash on hand and, much as I love my turkey ragu, I didn't want it for dinner two nights in a row. I threw the spaghetti squash together with an onion, some garlic, a few dried spices, a can of tomato paste and a bag of shredded cheddar, baked it all together and voila - spaghetti squash casserole! I never intended this for the blog but we loved it so much, I just had to share.

If you like baked ziti and lasagna, you'll love this dish. The combination of tender spaghetti squash noodles, rich tomato sauce and melted cheddar cheese is incredibly delicious and comforting, plus there's the added benefit that this comforting casserole is made with a nutritious vegetable instead of pasta. 

portion of spaghetti squash casserole on a white plate with a fork

This is an easy recipe and it uses common ingredients that you probably already have on hand - other than the spaghetti squash. 

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Here's how to make it - step by step with photos. (See the printable recipe card below, for exact amounts and detailed instructions.)

Start by cooking the spaghetti squash. You can find my recommended technique for cutting and roasting spaghetti squash in this post -  how to cook spaghetti squash. 

Put 4 cups of the cooked spaghetti squash into a large mixing bowl and set it aside while you make the sauce. 

two roasted spaghetti squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet and a fork being used to scrape the spaghetti strands out and into a glass bowl

For this simple sauce, start by sautéing a chopped onion, a few chopped garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. When the onion is soft and starting to brown, add a can of tomato paste and cook it for a minute or so, stirring with a wooden spoon, until its color deepens.

Tomato paste is one of my favorite pantry ingredients. It has s deeply savory, umami flavor. This way of cooking and caramelizing tomato paste further intensifies its wonderful flavor. I love using this technique to make a quick flavorful tomato sauce for rice, pasta or spaghetti squash.

onions and garlic sautéing in a cast iron skillet, tomato paste is added to the skillet

Add the tomato paste mixture to the bowl with the squash, along with the onion powder, dried basil, salt, pepper and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir well. 

Onion powder is another one of my favorite culinary secret weapons for adding fantastic flavor to a dish quickly and easily. It has a sweet and savory oniony taste that's different from fresh onions and wonderful in its own right. I use it liberally - it's hard to overdo onion powder - it's so good.

Sharp cheddar cheese is another fantastic ingredient for adding rich umami (savory) flavor to a dish - and even more so when it's hot and melted into a casserole!

first a white mixing bowl with separate piles of cooked spaghetti squash, garlic powder, shredded cheese and caramelized tomato paste, second all the ingredient in the bowl are mixed together

Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, and bake it for 40 minutes.

first, tomatoey spaghetti squash being added to an oval casserole, next shredded cheese is on top of the casserole

How to serve it

Serve this casserole hot, with a salad on the side. It goes beautifully with this Italian tricolore salad. Or if you prefer, make the delicious lemon-dijon vinaigrette from the tricolore recipe, and use it to dress whatever lettuces you have on hand. 

close up of a fork with tomatoey cheesy spaghetti squash twirled around its tines

If you try this spaghetti squash casserole recipe, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think.

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white oval casserole of spaghetti squash and tomato sauce with melted cheese on top and a sprig of basil

Spaghetti Squash Casserole


★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 generous main dish servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

This easy Italian-style spaghetti squash casserole recipe is perfect for the weeknight dinner rotation - a healthy vegetarian meal that satisfies.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Equipment: a 2-quart casserole

  • 4 cups cooked spaghetti squash from 1 large - 3-lb. squash. Here's how to cook spaghetti squash
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced or passed through a garlic press
  • 1 or 2 pinches of crushed red pepper flakes
  • A 6-ounce can of tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Several grinds of black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC

  1. Put the cooked spaghetti squash into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan or in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the second tablespoon of oil and the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Tomato paste will caramelize and darken in color, and some may stick to the pan. Remove pan from heat, add a tablespoon of water, and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to release any stuck bits, and then transfer the tomato paste mixture to the bowl with the squash.
  3. Add the basil, onion powder, salt, pepper and half the cheese. Mix thoroughly, transfer to the casserole, top with remaining cheese, and bake for 40 minutes. Serve hot, with a salad on the side, if you like.
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Roasting the spaghetti squash: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 40 min
  • Category: Casserole
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Italian-style

Keywords: healthy spaghetti squash casserole, spaghetti squash casserole with tomatoes and cheese

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Casserole, Europe, Italy, Lunch and Brunch, main course, Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged With: gluten-free

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Val

    October 31, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    Made this as a side to our meatball sandwich dinner. was well received by kids and adults as well. your post on how to cut and cook the squash is excellent.
    I have tried several ways and this was the best and more so the safest mean to the end.
    thank you
    Just discovered your blog and am enjoying it---hope to find and make more of your recipes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa

      October 31, 2022 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Val - Rhanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I'm glad the squash casserole recipe worked out for you and was enjoyed by all and I'm also glad to know the cutting technique was helpful. I'm happy you are enjoying my blog - I hope you find lots of other delicious recipes here.

      Reply
  2. Shelli Goldberg-Peck

    October 13, 2022 at 3:33 pm

    Hi ~ I am making this dish tonight and would love to added some of the fresh spinach I have on hand. Do you think that would work? I love spinach lasagna. How would you suggest I do that?

    Reply
    • Lisa

      October 13, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      Ooh I love that idea! I think it will work beautifully. I did a similar thing with spinach on top of eggplant parm in this post https://www.panningtheglobe.com/no-fry-eggplant-parmigiana/
      I suggest you either blanch the spinach and squeeze out the water or sauté it until it wilts, and place little piles of the spinach all over the top of the casserole (just before adding the final layer of cheese) Season the spinach with a little salt and pepper - then add the final layer of cheese and bake. I'd love to know how it turns out.

      Reply
  3. Janice S

    September 27, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    This looks like my kind of dish! We're trying to eat less meat in our house and we love Italian comfort food! Can't wait to try this recipe!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa

      September 27, 2022 at 4:40 pm

      Thanks for your note Janis. I hope you enjoy the casserole and I hope you'll let me know how it turns out!

      Reply

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