If you’re a pasta lover doing keto, I have a family favorite recipe for you. This keto spaghetti squash Alfredo casserole is sure to silence your pasta cravings.
By pairing an authentic, creamy, homemade, low carb Alfredo sauce with spaghetti squash, you can enjoy all the flavors of this classic Italian dish and not worry about consuming too many carbs and gluten.
Clocking in at only 7.6 g net carbs for a keto dinner recipe, I call that winning in my world!
This easy, cheesy goodness is a low-carb dish that is comfort food at its finest. It’s an easy spaghetti squash Alfredo that the whole family will enjoy. Trust me, your family won’t even miss pasta with this keto casserole recipe!
Be sure to check out our entire collection of keto casseroles for more tasty options.
Keto Alfredo Casserole Made With Spaghetti Squash
My family has always had a weakness for fettuccine Alfredo, and when the majority of us went keto, I knew I needed a way to give them the flavors they loved without all the gluten and carbs that pasta delivers.
Thankfully, this recipe fits the bill perfectly. You’ll be proud to share a healthy, delicious alternative to pasta with your loved ones.
If you’re a fan of this vegetable, you should also check out our keto bacon carbonara casserole that uses spaghetti squash, too.
What Is Spaghetti Squash?
If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash as a pasta alternative, you are in for a treat. I’ll never forget the first time I tried making a low-carb pasta dish with it.
I was shocked at how great it is to use this squash as keto noodles.
Spaghetti squash is a winter squash that gets its name from the long spaghetti-like strands that form when the cooked vegetable flesh is scraped with a fork.
Once the cooked squash flesh is pulled apart with a fork, it has the perfect consistency of pasta. It has a stringy texture that mimics its high-carb counterpart beautifully.
And since the spaghetti squash taste is mild, it fools your taste buds. It’s no wonder it’s also known as noodle squash.
I love spaghetti squash recipes. It’s the best way to enjoy low-carb comfort food.
I know some people like using zucchini noodles, but I find that the zucchini releases too much liquid when cooked, and the texture is not quite there.
The best part is that it’s a vegetable that is easily sourced in grocery stores.
Is Spaghetti Squash Keto?
Wondering how many carbs are in spaghetti squash and if it’s keto-friendly?
You’ll be happy to know that spaghetti squash is indeed low in carbs and can fit your keto macros since it clocks in at 9.5 total carbs and 7.6 net carbs per one-cup serving.
It’s also high in fiber; in fact, a one-cup serving packs 9% of your daily fiber needs. As a fan of keto-high fiber recipes, it’s one I keep in our keto meal planning rotation.
All that fiber helps it stay keto-friendly. So enjoy this winter squash guilt-free!
This low-carb alternative to pasta Alfredo has only 5.7 net carbs per serving. Compared to regular pasta, Alfredo has upwards of 39.5 net carbs; it’s a good pasta dish for anyone watching their carbs.
Ingredients Needed To Make A Low-Carb Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole
Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page.
Not only is this a yummy recipe, but it’s super easy. With only a few basic ingredients, you can enjoy a meal that makes you feel like you are cheating on keto.
Using spaghetti squash as a pasta impersonator is pure genius. I can’t wait for you to see how simple it is to make keto a delicious breeze.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
- Large spaghetti squash
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Softened cream cheese
- Sea salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Nutmeg powder, just a pinch
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
Cheese Topping
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
How To Make A Keto Alfredo Casserole With Spaghetti Squash
To start, you’ll need to cook your spaghetti squash. There are several ways to cook spaghetti squash. Your options vary from oven, microwave, and even instant pot.
Be sure to remove the ends of the squash before slicing to make it easier to do so.
- Microwave instructions: Slice the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and microwave for about 15 minutes. Scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands. You could also microwave the squash whole after poking the flesh all over and microwaving for about 25–30 minutes, turning the squash halfway through the cooking process.
- Instant Pot instructions: Slice the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and pressure cook for 7-8 minutes. Scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands.
- Oven instructions: bake in the oven. Slice the squash in half, remove the seeds, place the squash face down on a baking sheet, and roast at 400 degrees for about 40–45 minutes. Then, proceed to scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands.
Once the squash is ready, it’s time to make the keto Alfredo sauce and topping.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. To the melted butter, add the heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg powder, softened cream cheese, and shredded parmesan cheese.
Cook the sauce for about 5-7 minutes, or until the cheeses melt completely and the sauce thickens.
I added a simple cheese topping to the casserole that complements the dish very well. To make the topping, just combine the mozzarella cheese and shredded parmesan cheese. Then, top the casserole before baking.
To assemble the casserole, grease well with butter in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Place the spaghetti squash strands into the baking dish, then pour the Alfredo sauce over the squash and toss well, making sure everything gets coated.
Then add the cheese topping and bake the casserole for 35–45 minutes until golden brown. If at the 45-minute mark, your casserole isn’t brown on top, my favorite method is to broil at high for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
Alternatively, you could fill the squash shells with the prepared casserole and then place the squash boats in a large casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet.
Lastly, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy!
The following are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this delicious side dish:
Although I am classifying this as a side dish, you could, of course, make it a main meal and just serve it with a side salad.
I sure hope you will give this spaghetti squash recipe a try. Once you do, make sure you remember to tag us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
It’s what keeps us encouraged to keep sharing and perfecting our recipes. Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations.
Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement
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When we decided to combine our Christian faith and the keto diet, we did so in hopes of finding lasting transformation.
To say we needed God’s intervention is to put it mildly. When we followed the Holy Spirit’s lead to embrace the ketogenic diet and combine it with our faith, we got on the path to real transformation. I
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Keto Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole
This keto spaghetti squash Alfredo casserole pairs authentic, creamy, homemade Alfredo sauce with spaghetti squash for a classic Italian dish minus all the carbs and gluten.
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash, about 3.5 pounds
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
- 3 1/2 cups of heavy cream
- 2 ounces of softened cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg powder
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Cheese Topping
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
Garnish
- 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees if cooking the spaghetti squash in the oven. Otherwise, refer to the notes section for other ways to cook the squash.
Spaghetti Squash Prep
1. Cut the ends of the spaghetti squash and cut the squash lengthwise.
2. Place each half of the spaghetti squash facedown onto the prepared baking tray. Bake the squash in the 400 degrees preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the squash enters easily.
3. Flip the squash to the cut side and using a fork remove the seeds, then proceed to rake the squash with your fork to remove the spaghetti strands from the squash. This should happen easily. If not return the squash back into the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes. If ready turn off the oven.
4. Once the squash is fully cooked and the spaghetti-like strands can be removed easily from the skin of the squash allow the squash to cool for about 15 minutes before removing scraping all the flesh of the squash.
5. Place all the spaghetti squash strands into a large bowl. Set it aside.
6. Proceed to make the keto alfredo sauce.
Keto Alfredo Sauce
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- To the melted butter add the heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg powder, softened cream cheese, and shredded parmesan cheese.
- Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes until the cheeses melt and the sauce thickens. Set it aside
Cheese Topping
- In a small bowl combine the shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded parmesan cheese. Top the casserole before baking.
Assembling The Keto Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, add the spaghetti squash, and the prepared alfredo sauce, toss well. Stir well making sure that everything is coated well with the sauce.
- Spread the alfredo mixture evenly into the buttered casserole dish.
- Top evenly with the cheese topping.
- Bake the casserole for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes if at the 45-minute mark the casserole hasn't browned.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Ways To Cook Spaghetti Squash:
- Microwave instructions: Slice the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and microwave for about 15 minutes. Scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands. You could also microwave whole after poking the flesh all over and microwaving for about 25-30 minutes turning the squash halfway through the cooking process.
- Instant Pot instructions: Slice the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and pressure cook for 7-8 minutes. Scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands.
- Oven instructions: To bake in the oven. Slice the squash in half remove the seeds and place face down on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Then proceed to scrape the flesh for spaghetti strands.
For a fun presentation, rather than placing the prepared Alfredo into a casserole dish, you could alternatively place it into the squash shells and then place the spaghetti squash boats in a large casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet before baking.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 3 days. Due to the cream sauce, I do not recommend freezing this casserole. I find that the sauce tends to separate once it thaws.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 19.5gSaturated Fat: 13.1gCholesterol: 85mgCarbohydrates: 8.5gNet Carbohydrates: 7.6gFiber: 1.8gSugar: .1gProtein: 7g
Allison Twite
Monday 6th of November 2023
Hi, I see it yields 12 servings but do you have an actual measurement for one serving?
Hilda Solares
Monday 13th of November 2023
Hi Allison, I would say a serving is 1 1/2 cups. I hope this helps.
Debora Depczynski
Thursday 9th of February 2023
Nutmeg powder is mentioned in the instructions but not the ingredient list. How much nutmeg powder should be used?
Hilda Solares
Thursday 9th of February 2023
Thanks for pointing this out Debora. I'll add it now. It is 1/4 teaspoon.