Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake

Forget the noodles with our Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake! This cheesy comforting casserole features baked squash noodles tossed with marinara, sautéed vegetables, mozzarella, and fresh basil. And leftovers reheat perfectly!

What are the ingredients in this Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake?

The ingredients in this recipe are essentially meat, vegetables and cheese! Once you’ve got those vegetables on hand, it’s easy to put this one together with some ground meat and any red sauce you have. Here are the details on each of the ingredients I used:

• spaghetti squash – Look for a decent sized spaghetti squash. Exact size doesn’t really matter, as long as it isn’t too small. This is going to be the base of our casserole, so you want a decent amount of squash.
• avocado oil or olive oil – You need some oil to coat the squash for baking and to use for the coating the pan when cooking the meat and veggies.
• ground turkey – Any ground meat will work for this recipe, but I do think it’s a good opportunity to use ground turkey when it’s a saucy, flavorful recipe!
• onion, white mushrooms, bell pepper – These are the sauteed veggies being added to the dish. I like to cook the mushroom separately from the meat and veggies so they have a chance to brown without being too crowded in the pan.
• garlic – Obviously we’re adding some garlic to the mixture! Be sure to add to the cooking pot last, since it’s prone to burning if cooked too long.
• red pasta sauce – You can use any marinara or red pasta sauce you have on hand! I like to find the ones with roasted garlic added in.
• Italian seasoning – For extra flavor, I’m a huge fan of keeping a bottle of Italian seasoning on hand. It helps add a ton of flavor in no time – I especially love to use it in this Zesty Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad!
• mozzarella cheese – I don’t mind using a bag of pre-shredded mozzarella here to save time. You could also use fresh mozzarella on top if you prefer.
• fresh basil – Technically, this is optional, but the fresh earthy flavor of basil is the perfect compliment to the pasta vibes going on here. Another option is dried basil if you have it. Otherwise the Italian seasoning will cover it.
• salt and pepper – Since all of our ingredients are fresh and unseasoned, you’ll need to add a decent amount of salt to make all the flavors come together.

Related: Fall has the best, most comforting food. Here are my Favorite Fall Recipes For Your Next Meal Plan!

Equipment you’ll need to make Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake:

There are a few pieces of kitchen equipment I think you’ll need to make this recipe turn out as good as can be. Here are my recommendations:

• For a cutting board, I recommend this Greener Chef XL Bamboo Cutting Board (affiliate link!). I use mine almost every day! The XL size is perfect and not too huge. I use it for everything except cutting raw meat.
• For your chef’s knife, definitely look into getting yourself a Misen Chef’s Knife (affiliate link!). This is an affordable, all-purpose knife useful for everything, but especially cutting squash and other vegetables in this recipe.
• For baking the squash, I use a rimmed half sheet pan (affiliate link!) lined with parchment paper – the same sheet pan I use for most of my cooking! I have two of them.
• For a Dutch oven, the best and most affordable option is a Lodge 6 qt Cast Iron Dutch Oven (affiliate link!). You can start your meal on the stovetop and then transfer to the oven, useful for this recipe!

How do you cook spaghetti squash for “spaghetti”?

When I first set out on this spaghetti squash spaghetti quest, I remembered reading a very detailed post on How to Cook Spaghetti Squash from Pass the Plants. My biggest takeaway from her article was this: Cut the squash widthwise instead of lengthwise to get longer strands.

This makes perfect sense once you think about it. Cutting the squash lengthwise literally chops every spaghetti squash strand in half. Cutting widthwise is cutting with the direction of the strands, instead of chopping them all in half. Once you give it a try, you’ll see what the fuss is about!

Why salt the squash before baking?

Besides cutting widthwise into rings, my suggestion for better spaghetti-like strands from your squash is to salt the spaghetti squash rings for about 15 minutes prior to baking.

This will help draw moisture from inside the squash, which you can wipe off before baking. Your spaghetti strands will be more noodle-y and less mushy if you do this step! You might actually be shocked at how much moisture drips right off after doing this.

How to make Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake:

As an optional first step, you can choose to salt the spaghetti squash rings. This helps form more “noodle-y”, less mushy, squash strands for spaghetti. However, any form of cooked spaghetti squash will work for the recipe, meaning it’s not a requirement. The thing is, you have to wait for the oven to preheat anyway, so why not salt the squash?

To do this, start by cutting off the ends off the squash and then cutting it into 4-5 rings. Lay cut squash rings out on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Sprinkle both sides with salt (exact amount doesn’t really matter) and wait 15 minutes. Now is a good time to preheat the oven to 400F.

You’ll start to see the moisture glisten on top of the squash. When you pick up a piece to flip, the water will literally drip off. Wipe away all salt and moisture that has come from the squash, then proceed with recipe. You might be shocked how much liquid there is! I find it to be really interesting!

After wiping the squash, give it a quick spritz of avocado oil and then bake for 35-45 minutes on a lined baking sheet. I like to flip it halfway through to ensure even cooking. Let it bake until the squash is fork tender and the strands pull away from the skin easily, then set the squash aside to cool. The spaghetti squash can take anywhere from 30 minutes in the oven when thinly cut, to around an hour depending on size.

While the squash is baking, get started on the rest of the recipe. Heat a large oven safe skillet or Dutch oven (I recommend a Lodge 6 qt Cast Iron Dutch Oven (affiliate link!)) over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Once it shimmers, add the ground turkey and onion, then season with salt and pepper.

Use a wooden spoon to break apart the meat as you would with any other ground meat recipe, then stir occasionally and cook until the meat is fully cooked through and onions are translucent. Transfer the meat and onions from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

Next, reduce the heat to medium. Add the rest of the oil, then add mushrooms and green bell pepper. Cook and stir occasionally for about 5-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released some moisture and cooked down. Add garlic to the pan, stir and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic smells fragrant.

Remove the pot from the stovetop to a place where you can mix everything together. Pour the meat and onions back into the pan, then add red sauce, italian seasoning and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir all of this together before moving on to the baked squash.

Use a fork to pull the spaghetti squash strands away from the skin and add that to the pot as well. Stir everything together until well mixed. Try to disperse the squash noodles around with the spoon instead of leaving them in a clump as they start.

Top with remaining mozzarella cheese, and then bake at 400F in the oven for 13-15 minutes until the cheese is melty and sauce is bubbling. Top with fresh basil and freshly shredded parmesan cheese if you wish, and then serve immediately.

Best tips for making Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake:

Here are my best tips for making this recipe at home in your own kitchen:

• Take the time to salt the squash and cut it into rings. These are my two best tips for getting more spaghetti-like strands, instead of mushy soft squash.
• Mix everything together well before baking. When you add the strands of squash to the pot, they are a bit stuck together. But the final result will be best when everything is evenly dispersed 🙂
• Season well! All of these ingredients are fresh and unseasoned, so be sure to add salt at every step of the cooking process, and finish with some fresh ground black pepper.

What to serve with this recipe:

This main dish recipe will work by itself, but for a more filling meal, here are some optional things to serve along with it:

• garlic bread
• side salad
• baked potato

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

I would not recommend making and freezing this dish, as the squash noodles may not be in the best condition after thawing. Stick with the refrigerator for this one.

One option to help save time with this dish could be to make and freeze the meat, sauce and cooked veggie mixture. This saucy mixture would freeze well and would easily thaw.

How to store leftover Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to reheat Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Bake:

This dish makes excellent leftovers – reheat portions for 90 seconds in the microwave on High or reheat in a HotLogic Mini Oven (affiliate link!) for about 90 minutes.