Spaghetti Squash Parmesan

Spaghetti squash noodles are my favorite low-carb noodle and a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B6. It’s an easy noodle base to use in a quick stir fry, bake, or bowl.

My Spaghetti Pizza Pie is dairy free, and this recipe can be made dairy free as well. I often use spaghetti squash noodles to build a quick bowl of “spaghetti” with marinara sauce, Parmesan, and cashew cream cheese. With this recipe, I take the bowl of spaghetti to the next level by adding a few more ingredients and baking it.

If you don’t do dairy or Parmesan cheese, you can make it dairy free by replacing the Parmesan with another egg in the pie mixture and omit the Parmesan on the top, or you can brush the top with cashew cream, either below or on top of the marinara sauce. Of course, then it’s no longer a Parmesan bake, but it’s dairy free. I also offer substitutes for cashew cream. See the recipe notes for more tips.

Spaghetti Squash Parmesan

To bake the spaghetti squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper. Cut the squash in half and place each half open end down on a baking sheet. Bake the squash for 20-30 minutes, or until you can insert a fork inside it to remove the spaghetti from the 2 halves. Remove all the seeds and discard. Use a fork to remove all the spaghetti.

Cool the squash and drain excess liquid. I sometimes make it way ahead of time so it can fully cool and then train excess liquid. If you using it after you have baked the squash, let it cool until it's no longer steaming.

To make this dairy free, add an egg and spread about 1/4 cup of cashew cream on the top, either under or over the extra marinara sauce that goes on top.

You can replace cashew cream with Farmer's cheese or thick yogurt if you prefer to avoid nuts or cashews specifically.

Servings servings

Calories 93kcal

Ingredients

4 cups spaghetti squash drain excess liquid
2 cups baby spinach leaves chopped
8 basil leaves chopped
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups marinara sauce or other tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup cashew cream (see recipe below)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the spaghetti squash (see recipe notes).
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked spaghetti squash, eggs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup cashew cream, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, spinach and basil leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and mix to blend well.
Transfer the mixture to a baking or pie dish and spread 3/4 cup marinara sauce across the top of the pie. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top of the marinara sauce.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the top begins to brown.
Serve hot. Store in the refrigerator for a few days.

Nutrition

Cashew Cream Cheese

Servings tablespoons

Calories 45kcal

Equipment

High speed blender

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes or room temperature water overnight
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water, plus more as needed

Instructions

Add the cashews, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor. Add about 1/4 cup of water and blend until smooth. Add more water in small amounts until you have the desired consistency.
Use a spatula to scrape down the sides in between processing. If you prefer the cheese a bit thinner, add water gradually until it's at the thickness you prefer.
Store in the refrigerator for a week or so.

Nutrition