Spaghetti squash lasagna is a creative twist on the popular pasta dish. Instead of using traditional lasagna noodles, we opt for spaghetti squash. The result is a delicious and nutritious dish with all the flavors of traditional lasagna. The mix of cheeses and seasonings adds to the Italian goodness!
The spaghetti squash adds nutritional value to the recipe, but there’s plenty of delicious cheese too. The mix of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano is perfect and creamy, complementing the tender spaghetti squash strands. If you enjoy lasagna, this spaghetti squash lasagna recipe will become a new favorite.
Detail to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1.17 hours
Servings: 8
Calories per serving: 371
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Large spaghetti squash – 1
- Olive oil, divided – 1 tbsp
- Salt, divided – 1 ½ tsp (or more to taste)
- Black pepper – ½ tsp (or more to taste)
- Medium yellow onion, chopped – 1
- Garlic cloves, minced – 4
- Crushed tomatoes – 1 can (28-ounce)
- Italian seasoning – 2 tsp
- Red pepper flakes – ½ tsp
- Ricotta cheese – 1 can ( 15-ounce)
- Large egg – 1
- Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained – 5 ounces
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided 1 ½ cups
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated – ⅓ cup
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Steps to Prepare Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare baking sheet with foil and cooking spray. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds. Rub 1 tbsp olive oil on squash halves, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on sheet. Roast 35 minutes until tender. Let cool, then scrape flesh into noodle-like strands.
For sauce, heat 2 tsp olive oil in saucepan. Cook onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.
In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, spinach, ½ cup mozzarella, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Squeeze excess liquid from squash and add to ricotta mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread 1 cup of sauce in an 8×11-inch baking dish. Add ½ of the squash mixture evenly. Add ½ of the remaining sauce, then repeat with the ricotta mixture for two layers. Spread remaining sauce on top, sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly. Broil for 3 minutes for browning.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
FAQs
When cutting spaghetti squash, it should be bright yellow. If discolored or mushy, squash is bad.
Store cooked lasagna in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave. Avoid freezing the lasagna, but freezing the sauce is possible for later use.
After cooking, spaghetti squash becomes a firm-but-soft noodle with a slight sweetness. Its mild taste makes it an excellent pasta substitute in various recipes, including kid-friendly ones.