Description
Meet your new favorite healthy comfort food: Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash! This incredible dish takes roasted spaghetti squash “noodles” and tosses them with a luscious, easy-to-make cream sauce featuring garlic, spinach, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Topped with bubbly mozzarella, it’s baked right in the squash shells for a stunning presentation and minimal cleanup. It’s keto-friendly, gluten-free, and absolutely packed with flavor!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 Medium Spaghetti Squash (approx. 2-3 lbs)
- 2.5 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil (+ extra for rubbing squash)
- 5 oz Fresh Spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese (optional, for extra creaminess)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated (plus extra for topping)
- To taste Salt
- To taste Black Pepper, freshly ground
- To taste Mozzarella Cheese, grated/sliced (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep Squash: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Carefully slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp. (Optional: Microwave whole squash for 3-5 mins to soften for easier cutting).
- Roast the Squash: Rub the cut surfaces with a bit of oil. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender.
- Make the Sauce: While squash roasts, heat 1 tsp oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped spinach and stir until wilted (2-3 mins).
- Finish the Sauce: Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, optional cream cheese, and ½ cup Parmesan. Stir until cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Create Squash Noodles: Let the roasted squash cool slightly. Use a fork to scrape the inside flesh lengthwise, creating spaghetti-like strands within the shells.
- Combine & Fill: Pour half the creamy spinach sauce into each squash boat. Gently toss the sauce with the strands using a fork.
- Top & Bake Again: Sprinkle the tops generously with mozzarella and extra Parmesan. Reduce oven temp to 350°F (175°C). Return the squash boats to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and cheese is melted.
- Broil (Optional): For a golden topping, switch oven to Broil (High). Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese is lightly browned.
- Serve: Let rest for a minute or two, then serve hot.
Notes
- Easy Cutting Hack: To soften a tough spaghetti squash for easier cutting, pierce it a few times, then microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. Let it cool slightly before slicing.
- Roast Cut-Side Down: Roasting the squash cut-side down helps steam the inside, making the strands tender and easy to separate.
- Squeeze Frozen Spinach: If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out as much excess water as possible before adding it to the sauce to prevent a watery result.
- Don’t Puncture the Shells: When scraping the squash strands, be careful not to scrape too hard or puncture the bottom skin, as the shells serve as the baking and serving vessel.
- Watch the Broiler: If you choose to broil the cheese topping, watch it very carefully! It can go from golden brown to burnt in seconds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course, Side Dish, Vegetarian
- Method: Roasting, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 485 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g (approx. 12 g Net Carbs)
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
