Creamy Baked Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

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This cheesy, creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole is a delicious and comforting dinner made with tender spaghetti squash baked in a zesty tomato cream sauce with spicy sausage. Packed with delicious, savory flavors, it’s perfect for any night of the week!

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe
• Watch the Video
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• How to Make Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Casserole Tips and Variations
• Make It a Meal
• Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• More Spaghetti Squash Recipes
• Get the Recipe

Originally published on March 10, 2012. Photos updated on March 28, 2016.

This spaghetti squash casserole is one of our favorite weeknight comfort foods. It’s 100% gluten-free, yet just as creamy, cheesy, and delicious as any pasta casserole recipe. It’s easy to make with a rich tomato cream sauce that’s filled with spicy sausage for the perfect amount of kick. Baked with tender spaghetti squash underneath melted cheese, this is a hearty and satisfying casserole that’s sure to win over everyone, even pasta lovers!

Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe

• Flavorful. The flavors in this casserole are light and fresh, but warming. The sauce is filled with the delicious flavors of zesty tomatoes, a touch of wine, and spicy sausage that bulks it up just enough to make this recipe into easy weeknight comfort food.
• Veggie-packed. If you’re avoiding gluten, you might already know spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta. It’s also a great way to bring veggie power to a casserole! This winter veggie is a delicious replacement for noodles in this recipe, and just as hearty.
• Beginner-friendly. Just getting acquainted with spaghetti squash? This spaghetti squash casserole is PERFECT. It doesn’t call for any fancy preparation or complicated ingredients.
• Versatile. There are so many ways to adapt this recipe! Add extra veggies or change up the sauce and seasonings. And of course, if you’d prefer to bake pasta instead, you can always substitute the squash with your favorite noodles.

Watch the Video

Check out this video to see just how easy it is to make this cheesy, flavor-filled spaghetti squash casserole. Don’t forget to read on for recipe notes, tips, and a helpful step-by-step.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This baked spaghetti squash casserole recipe is super straightforward! Here are my notes on what you’ll need to make it. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.

• Spaghetti squash – This is a common winter squash that you’ll find in the grocery store alongside other types like acorn squash, butternut squash, etc. See below for details.
• Sausage links – I like to use raw hot turkey sausage to keep the sauce leaner while adding a nice bit of heat. Feel free to use pork sausage, Italian sausage, or another kind, spicy or mild.
• Onion – Good options are yellow onion, white onion, or shallots.
• Red wine – Choose a dry red, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. If you’d prefer to cook without alcohol, you can omit the wine, replace it with stock, or add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Canned crushed tomatoes – My favorite brand is Tuttorosso. Their crushed tomatoes come with basil included. If you use another brand, you may want to sprinkle a little fresh or dried basil into the sauce instead.
• Herbs and seasonings – Dried oregano, salt, and pepper. You can also use Italian seasoning instead of oregano if you’d like. I also like to bring some fresh or dried parsley into the mix.
• Heavy cream – You can substitute milk for heavy cream, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich. Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream are also good choices.
• Grated parmesan cheese – I love the salty sharpness that freshly grated parmesan (or pecorino) brings to the sauce. Save some of the cheese to sprinkle over top when serving.
• Frozen peas – Optional, but they give the casserole some color and extra texture.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese – Because no casserole is complete unless it’s baked under melted cheese. You can use fresh mozzarella, or another kind of cheese, like cheddar.

What is spaghetti squash?

Most spaghetti squash you find in stores is oval-shaped and pale yellow. It’s different from other types, like butternut squash, in that its insides are tender and stringy. When cooked, this stringy flesh can be shredded into long “noodles” with a neutral flavor that blends well with just about any ingredient you mix it with. As soon as I started treating these “noodles” much like traditional spaghetti, it opened a world of delicious recipes (this spaghetti squash casserole included!).

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Every casserole starts with a great baking dish, and for this recipe, I recommend a glass or ceramic casserole dish. I like to use the 1 ½-quart oval French White Corningware from this 12-piece set. Once your ingredients are assembled, follow these steps! Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.

• Cook the squash. First, you’ll need to cook the spaghetti squash using your preferred method. Check out my post on how to cook spaghetti squash for 5 easy ways to cook it, from the oven to the slow cooker. Afterward, scrape out the flesh with a fork to make long “noodles”.
• Saute the meat and onions. Next, brown the sausage in a pan. Add the onion, and cook until it’s soft and translucent.
• Make the sauce. Stir in the wine, a can of crushed tomatoes, and the seasonings. Let it simmer a bit before stirring in heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and frozen peas.
• Combine. Pour the sauce over your spaghetti squash. If there’s too much sauce, just save the extra to pour over later or use for another meal (it’s delicious over gluten-free gnocchi!)
• Bake. Transfer the saucy squash noodles to a baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake the casserole at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes until hot, melty, and golden.

Casserole Tips and Variations

Looking to make the most of this cheesy spaghetti squash casserole recipe? Follow the tips below. I’ve also included some easy ways to change up this recipe, and I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

• Meal prep this recipe. The spaghetti squash for this casserole can be cooked and stored airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days in advance.
• Skip the cheese. The layer of melty mozzarella gives this recipe its signature bubbly casserole top, but if you’re dairy-free or if you’d prefer to skip it, go right ahead.
• Replace the sausage. Instead of spicy sausage, fill this casserole with diced chicken or ground beef instead.
• Vegetarian. For a vegetarian spaghetti squash casserole, substitute the sausage with your favorite cooked vegetables. Try broccoli, cauliflower, diced bell peppers, green beans, sweet corn, or a combination of veggies. You can also replace the meat sauce with marinara sauce.
• Different sauce. Play around with different pasta sauces. This gluten-free casserole would taste amazing with a base of homemade vodka sauce, bolognese sauce, or even creamy alfredo sauce for something different.

Make It a Meal

This spaghetti squash casserole is a meal on its own, or you can serve it with easy sides. We love this Italian wedge salad or garlic roasted mushrooms and a basket of fluffy homemade gluten free garlic parmesan knots. Or, try these gluten free soft breadsticks that make you feel like you’re sitting down to dinner at the Olive Garden!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover spaghetti squash casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. Warm the casserole under foil in the oven at 350ºF until it’s hot throughout. You can also reheat portions in the microwave or in a covered skillet on the stove.
• Freeze. You can freeze spaghetti squash casserole, keeping in mind that spaghetti squash tends to get a little watery when it’s thawed. Let the baked casserole cool completely to room temperature. Wrap leftovers in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil, and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the casserole in the fridge overnight before reheating.

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Spaghetti Squash Pastitsio
• Turkey Sausage and Mushroom Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Chicken and Mushrooms Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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4.7 from 7 votes

Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This baked spaghetti squash casserole recipe is filled with juicy turkey sausage and veggies, tossed in zesty tomato cream sauce. It's easy, gluten-free comfort food!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 3 raw turkey sausage links hot or mild, or you can use pork sausage
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 15 oz crushed tomatoes (I typically use Tuttorosso when I am using crushed tomatoes. It has a little basil in it, so if you use a brand without basil, you may want to add a little fresh or dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 cup frozen peas optional
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

• Cook the spaghetti squash in your desired manner (see link in Notes for five methods) and scrape out the "noodles". Preheat or keep your oven set at 400ºF.
• Heat a pan over medium heat.
• Squeeze the sausage out of the casings into the pan, and cook until is cooked through and browned.
• Add the onions and saute until translucent and soft.
• Add the wine, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper, and simmer until it is hot and the onions are fully cooked.
• Stir in the heavy cream, parsley, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and frozen peas.
• Pour enough sauce over the squash noodles until it is as saucy as you like (there may be some extra sauce, which you can serve on the side).
• Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-2 quart glass or ceramic baking pan or casserole dish that has been sprayed with olive oil or cooking spray.
• Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the casserole.
• Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, and the cheese is golden brown.

Notes

• See how to make spaghetti squash in your oven, microwave, slow cooker, Instant Pot, or grill.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 298 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Cholesterol 45mg15%

Sodium 772mg32%

Potassium 683mg20%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 1095IU22%

Vitamin C 23.4mg28%

Calcium 256mg26%

Iron 2.8mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Method: Oven

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