Spaghetti Squash Lasagna has all of the satisfying richness of a classic lasagna so it’s perfect for these wintery nights when you’re craving comfort food. This easy low carb and keto friendly recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
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A note from Taryn: Sometimes it even takes a village to have a blog. I had surgery last week, and I'll be completely fine, but my recovery is going slowly. So, I asked some blogging friends to join me here at Joy Filled Eats! I'm excited to share that I'm going to have a bunch of guest posts over the next month or two. I'm hoping to be back in the kitchen soon because I need Christmas cookies, but all their recipe ideas sound amazing. I can't wait to share them with you! My first guest is Jenny from A Thing Shared. She has created a delicious sheet pan Spaghetti Squash Lasagna that I know will be a hit with my kids and yours. If you've enjoyed this spaghetti squash lasagna recipe make sure to pop on over to her blog for some more yumminess.
Hi! I’m Jenny from the food blog A Thing Shared, where I share simple, healthy recipes to encourage the home cook. I believe cooking and eating should be a joyful experience for everyone -- moms, dads, and kids -- so every recipe I create is focused on quick techniques, minimal ingredients, and unprocessed food. You can find me at www.athingshared.com, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/athingshared/, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/athingshared/.
I’m grateful to Taryn for letting me share this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with you today! I hope you enjoy it -- my family certainly does. It has all of the satisfying richness of a classic lasagna so it’s perfect for these wintery nights when you’re craving comfort food. But the spaghetti squash lightens up the meal quite a bit, leaving you feeling good when the meal is over.
Sometimes my kids, pasta-lovers aged 2, 5, and 6, protest if I use spaghetti squash in lieu of regular pasta, so I usually scoop some noodles separately onto their plate too (my favorite types of pasta for my kids are from the Banza brand, which is made from chickpeas). So everyone leaves the table happy.
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash - Spaghetti squash is a delicious vegetable that can be used as pasta. It's got a great flavor and texture, plus it makes for an excellent alternative to traditional noodles.
Marinara Sauce - Marinara sauce is a tomato based sauce that goes great in Italian dishes! Check out my easy recipe to make keto marinara sauce without added sugar.
Ground Turkey - Ground Turkey is a great choice for a healthy meal. It's packed with flavor and is cheaper than ground beef.
Mozzarella Cheese - Mozzarella is one of the key ingredients I use when making this dish. It's rich and creamy but it still has a pleasantly tangy flavor.
Ricotta Cheese - Ricotta is a traditional Italian cheese made from cow, sheep, or goat's milk. It is smooth and creamy and I love eating it plain by the spoonful.
Garlic Salt - Garlic salt is a perfect addition to meat dishes or vegetables. You can make your own basic garlic salt by mixing some kosher salt with garlic powder.
Baby Spinach - Baby spinach has a very mild flavor and works great in salads and added to casseroles.
How to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
This low carb spaghetti squash casserole is easier than you think. Once you have the spaghetti squash prepared it only takes a few minutes.
First Step: Cook the spaghetti squash by baking at 450.
Second Step: Put the cooked squash into a casserole dish.
Third Step: Top the cooked spaghetti squash with keto marinara sauce and browned meat.
Fourth Step: Top the spaghetti squash lasagna in the baking dish with mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese.
Expert Tip: Tuck some fresh baby spinach down into the crevices for an extra healthy veggie!
Fifth Step: Bake the spaghetti squash lasagna casserole until it is hot and the cheese is browned and bubbly.
Variations
Vegetarian - You can omit the ground turkey or sub in chopped sauteed vegetables like a combo of onion, garlic, eggplant, and zucchini to make this meatless.
Meat - You don't have to use ground turkey in this. Ground beef, ground chicken, ground Italian sausage, ground pork, or a combination of a couple of those also taste great. You could even add some Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs.
Fresh Basil - Basil fresh from the garden is one of my favorite things. Tear up a handful of fresh leaves and layer them when you add the sauce for a vibrant flavor. And then garnish the top with some julienned basil as well.
Fresh Tomatoes - I love replacing some of the tomato sauce with fresh grape tomatoes. They pop in your mouth when you eat them.
Paleo - Even if you leave out the cheese to make this paleo and whole30 friendly it is delicious.
Kale - Switch out the baby spinach for baby kale.
White Lasagna - Use alfredo sauce in place of the marinara. Alfredo sauce normally has less carbs as well since tomatoes have natural sugars.
Spice - Red pepper flakes are a great way to turn up the spice level. Just mix a pinch into the sauce before adding it.
The Best Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash
If you’ve tried spaghetti squash before, and either found it too time-consuming to prepare or too bland for your tastes, give it another shot with my method. The preparation I recommend cuts the cooking time in half and leaves you with long, caramelized, flavorful noodles that taste nothing like the soggy, tasteless spaghetti squash you may have had in the past.
To make it easier to cut winter squash simply poke some holes in it with a fork and then pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. It begins to steam and softens the skin.
Another great way to have perfect al dente spaghetti squash is to air fry it. Yes, you can cook spaghetti squash in your air fryer! Check out my post on air fryer spaghetti squash for complete instructions.
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 2-3 lbs spaghetti squash
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce no sugar added
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt divided
- 15 oz ricotta
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella
- 3 cups baby spinach optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 to cook the spaghetti squash. This high temperature will significantly reduce the cooking time as well as eliminate excess moisture and help caramelize the squash.
- Cut the spaghetti squash into thirds crosswise through the middle (not from base to stem) so you end up with three rounds. This enables you to get longer “spaghetti” strands from the squash after cooking, because the strands naturally run around the middle of the squash, rather than from stem to base.
- Remove the seeds by using a knife or spoon to separate them from the flesh of the squash. Place squash rounds on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. You can trim a portion from the base and the stem, too, so you can lay the pieces flat.
- Place baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack and roast for 30-40 minutes, until squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool.
Lasagna Assembly
- While squash cools, cook the turkey in saute pan over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Add marinara to pan and mix.
- When squash cools enough to handle it, use a fork to remove strands from the rind. Separate stands so they become “spaghetti-like” and then transfer them to the greased casserole dish, spreading to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with half the garlic salt. Top with meat sauce. Drop spoonfuls over ricotta over the dish, and alternate with rounds of mozzarella so most of the casserole is covered with cheese. Sprinkle with the other half of the garlic salt.
- You can store the casserole at this point to be baked later, or you can bake immediately. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to broil. Place casserole under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until cheese begins to brown. Remove casserole from oven and tuck baby spinach leaves into the casserole between cheese (if spinach is added earlier, it will wilt too much). Return casserole to broiler for one more minute until spinach softens.
- Remove casserole from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Enjoy! The lasagna is great leftover too.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published December 10, 2017. Revised and Republished December 30, 2021.
Baxter says
Thanks for the recipe. It looks yummy and healthy. I must try this one.