Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is serious low-carb comfort food, and you definitely won’t miss the carbs in this tasty lasagna casserole! We used spicy Italian sausage and three kinds of cheese in this for lots of great lasagna flavors.
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Have you heard of making lasagna with spaghetti squash replacing the noodles? I promise it’s absolutely a thing, and this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is a low-carb dinner idea that really knocked our socks off when we tested it!
In this mock lasagna casserole the traditional lasagna ingredients are layered with cooked spaghetti squash, and the spaghetti squash lasagna has the same flavors that make regular lasagna with pasta such a popular dish! If you like these lasagna flavors and you’re looking for dinner ideas, I promise this will be a winner!
The recipe is low in net carbs, and of course it’s much lower in carbs than traditional lasagna. And I love this lasagna casserole and it’s perfect for fall, so I’m featuring this as my Friday Favorites pick this week.
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- large spaghetti squash
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link)
- hot turkey or pork Italian Sausage
- Rao’s Pasta Sauce (affiliate link)
- Dried Basil (affiliate link)
- Garlic Powder (affiliate link), or use Minced Garlic (affiliate link) if you prefer
- cottage cheese
- eggs
- grated Mozzarella
- coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
What Marina Sauce did I use for the spaghetti squash lasagna?
I’m a huge fan of Rao’s Pasta Sauce (affiliate link) which is really low in carbs, and I’d use one of their sauces for this recipe if I didn’t have any of my Sausage and Basil Marinara Sauce in the freezer. Any low-sugar or purchased sauce will work for this recipe.
More tips for cooking spaghetti squash for Spaghetti Squash Lasagna:
If you want another method for cooking the spaghetti squash, you can cook the spaghetti squash in a crockpot or an Instant Pot for this recipe.
How low in carbs is this tasty Spaghetti Squash Lasagna?
For everyone who loves lasagna but doesn’t want the carbs, this tasty lasagna with spaghetti squash replacing the noodles has only about 9 net carbs per serving!
More Tasty Options for Low-Carb Lasagna:
Check out 20 Low-Carb and Keto Lasagna Recipes for even more tasty dinners with lasagna flavors!
How to make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I roasted two spaghetti squashes for this, but if you have one large one (about 4 pounds), it will be plenty for the casserole. Microwave the squash about 5 minutes to soften, cut the spaghetti squash in half, scrape out seeds, rub with olive oil and Italian herb blend, and roast 50-60 minutes. (Or cook the spaghetti squash in a crockpot or an Instant Pot if you prefer, but I think roasting does add flavor.)
- While the squash cooks, squeeze the turkey sausage out of the casings and brown well.
- Add the marinara sauce, dried basil, Italian herb blend, and garlic powder and simmer until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 30 minutes.
- Mix together the cottage cheese, eggs, and Italian Herb blend.
- Make a layer of half the spaghetti squash in an 8 inch x 11 inch casserole dish.
- Top with half the sauce, half the cottage cheese mixture, and half the cheese.
- Then make another layer of spaghetti squash, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and the rest of the cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 375F/190C for about 45 minutes. (Mine got a little brown on the edges, but that didn’t bother us a bit.)
- Serve hot and devour!
More Dinners with Spaghetti Squash:
- Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash with Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter
- Greek Salad Spaghetti Squash Bowl
Weekend Food Prep:
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is serious comfort food, and you won’t miss the carbs in this tasty "lasagna" that features spaghetti squash.
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash Ingredients:
- 1 large spaghetti squash, about 4 pounds
- 2 tsp. olive oil (for brushing squash)
- 2 tsp. Italian Herb Blend (for sprinkling on squash before roasting)
Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 19.5 oz. pkg. hot turkey (or pork) Italian Sausage
- 3 cups marinara sauce (see notes)
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend
- 1 tsp. garlic powder (or use minced fresh garlic if you prefer)
Casserole Ingredients:
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend
- 2 cups grated Mozzarella
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- If desired, microwave the spaghetti squash for about 5 minutes (to soften the skin so it’s easier to cut.) Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian Herb Blend.
- Roast the squash on a flat baking sheet about 50-60 minutes, or until the squash strings apart easily with a fork. (You can also cook the spaghetti squash in a crockpot or an Instant Pot for this recipe.)
- While the squash cooks, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, squeeze the sausage out of the casings, and brown sausage well, breaking it apart with a turner while it cooks. (I like to use an old-fashioned Potato Masher (affiliate link) to break the sausage apart.)
- When the sausage is well-browned, add the 3 cups of sauce, dried basil, Italian Herb Blend, and garlic powder, and simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
- Put the cottage cheese into a bowl, add the eggs and Italian Herb Blend, and mix with a fork until the egg is well-mixed into the cottage cheese.
- Prepare grated Mozzarella and coarsely grated Parmesan.
- Spray an 8 inch by 11 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- When the spaghetti squash is done, turn oven heat down to 375F/190C and let squash cool for a few minutes. Then use a fork to scrape the squash away from the skin, separating it into strands of “spaghetti.” Discard the skin.
- In the casserole dish, layer half the spaghetti squash, half the reduced sauce mixture, half the cottage cheese mixture, half the Mozzarella, and half the Parmesan.
- Repeat with another layer each of squash, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Bake uncovered until the casserole is bubbling hot and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 40-45 minutes.
- Serve hot, with additional Parmesan cheese to add at the table if desired.
Notes
Use a 24 oz. jar or homemade marinara sauce. For purchased sauce I recommend Rao's Pasta Sauce (affiliate link) which has only 20 carbs in the whole bottle.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 421Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 8gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 149mgSodium 1419mgCarbohydrates 13.2gFiber 4gSugar 10gProtein 34g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe is great for low-carb and Keto diets and it’s also gluten-free. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet, they would recommend using low-fat cottage cheese and low-fat Mozzarella (as well as low-fat turkey Italian sausage.) For other types of low-carb diets, use full-fat cheese if you prefer.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Spaghetti Squash or Casseroles to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This spaghetti squash lasagna recipe was first posted in 2015. It was last updated with more information in 2024.
54 Comments on “Spaghetti Squash Lasagna”
I thought I would like this more. I found it to be lacking in mouthfeel. Flavor was OK. I guess I just missed bulk. Maybe not enough cheese?
I didn’t think that when I made it. I wonder if your spaghetti squash was cooked too long so it was extra soft? More cheese would give it more bulk, that might help.
Glad you enjoyed.
Gosh I am not sure if I let a comment before or not But I love this recipe !!! Shared it with many friends, they have loved it as well. This time I am trying turkey sausage, but adding red pepper flakes.
This is the best ! Thanks so much for sharing this with us all
Thanks so much Jackie! So glad you are enjoying it so much!
I made this last night. First I used hamburger and my pasta sauce was an off brand. It was amazing! My husband doesn’t like butternut squash, but he really liked this meal!
So glad you enjoyed it. And you’re always free to use whatever ingredients you have on hand, glad to hear you made it work!
Love it ! Made it the first time when I had friends over that are watching carbs.. they loved it so much they made it the following week. Such an easy recipe
Thanks so much
So happy to hear that you and your friends enjoyed it!
This is amazing!!!! Even my non squash eating husband was in love with this dish. I didn’t add meat and it wasn’t missed at all. Honestly enjoyed this as much if not more than traditional lasagna. Squeezing all of the liquid out of the squash makes all the difference in the world for the end product. Could not love this more!!!!!
Thanks Kristy; so glad you enjoyed it!
We made this last night and it was delicious! It was a little runny, but that is expected. I will say that it is time consuming to make, but totally worth it! Thanks for a great recipe, I will def be making again!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! It wasn’t especially runny for me; maybe I had a bigger spaghetti squash!
I made this for the first time last year when spaghetti squash was readily available. It has become our favorite version of lasagna. My husband and I prefer this lasagna made with spaghetti squash over lasagna made with noodles any day!! Thank you so much for providing this really tastey recipe.
Oh wow, I love hearing you have enjoyed it so much! Thanks for taking time to let me know!
Carbs are good for you so eat up! It take carbs, fat, and protein to be healthy and lean. I am a certified personal trainer and I know this to be accurate.
Paula, the motto of my site is “everyone gets to make their own food choices.” So I don’t recommend people eat carbs or avoid them. They get to decide that for themselves.
I have made this dish at least a half dozen times in the last year. I have made it exactly as instructed, with ricotta instead of cottage cheese and also with a blend of the two. I’ve layered the cheeses and also mixed them together. I’ve found my favorite is to use cottage cheese and mix the mozzarella and Parm in and them add a little extra of each sprinkled on the top. Even my fairly picky 7 year old says “it’s amazing!” Every time. Thanks, Kalyn!!
So glad you are enjoying it! And I always love when one of my recipes is a hit with kids, because I am not always that tuned in to what kids like!
Are you clicking the green button that says PRINT? That is working perfectly for me. Sorry, but I don’t know why you’re having trouble.
Delicious! I make it with ricotta cheese which has a lot more protein than cottage cheese.
Suzanne, I did not know that. Will have to look into it! Glad you have enjoyed the recipe!
Analyzing nutritional information correctly is so difficult, but that isn’t close to correct. The problem with Yummly and other calculators is that they don’t know exactly what ingredients you use. So for “marinara sauce” they don’t realize you’re using a low-sugar sauce.
[Edited November 2019] I have now started calculating carbs for the recipes so you can see it in this post, based on the ingredients I used.
Making it right now with ricotta cheese. I think I will squeeze the squash with paper towel to get out water.
That might be a good idea if it seems wet! Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for the delicious recipe my first time having spaghetti squash and I’m hooked
So glad you liked it!
This was absolutely delectable. Both the Husband and I declared the recipe a keeper. The left-overs were just as good, if not better than the first sitting. I must confess, I did sub ricotta for the cottage cheese, as it is more traditional for me than cottage cheese (and I don’t like cottage cheese at all!) in lasagna. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed it and I love hearing how you adapted it to suit your preferences! That is what cooking is all about, right?
I would love to try this but my son is allergic to eggs. Do you have any suggestion for egg substitute?
Really the only purpose of the egg is to help the casserole hold together better. I'd just make it without the egg, knowing you'll have to take the pieces out a bit more carefully when you serve it. I think it will still taste great. Hope you enjoy!
I made this for lunch today and it's amazing. I tweaked it by using low fat cottage cheese and part-skim milk. Then veggie crumbles instead of meat along with a ton of spinach tossed into the cottage cheese mixture. This is wonderful. I think it will be even better twice baked! Thanks so much!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Ooowww…I like the idea of adding spinach too!!
What temp do you bake the lasagna once assembled? 375 or 400?
Turn down oven to 375F when the spaghetti squash is done and bake the casserole at that temperature.
Wonder what I could sub for the cottage cheese, cannot do sheep or cow dairy. I will use buffalo mozzarella for the cheese part. This sounds delightful.
Marianne, is there such a thing as ricotta made without sheep or cow's milk? That would work. Hope you find something; sorry I am not more help!
THIS WAS AMAZING AND SO STINKING SIMPLE!!!! Thank you so much.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I loved this recipe! Trying to be healthy to lose some weight and pasta is a vice… so I've now fallen in love with spaghetti squash. This recipe is just like lasagna… even better the following days!
Thanks, so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight and it was wonderful! I went the lazy route and microwaved the squash for 12 minutes instead of roasting and it turned out fine. Thanks for the creation 🙂
Cricri, you're cooking at home, so there's nothing lazy about that! Glad that you enjoyed the recipe.
I made this last night and it was delicious! My only problem was it was a little watery, I am thinking that maybe it was the cottage cheese.
Christine, make sure you cook down the sauce until almost all the moisture is evaporated. The only other thing I can think of is that possibly some spaghetti squash has more liquid (when it's fresher?) Glad you enjoyed it!
I am considering making this but wondering about the spaghetti squash getting watery too?!
-Monica
The steps of roasting the squash and cooking down the sauce are to get rid of excess moisture; if you do both those things it should not be watery!
We are looking for healthy choices that hold up well to freezing individual portions for work lunches. Do you know if this delicious-sounding recipe will freeze well?
Yes, I definitely think this will freeze well. By the way, you can look for the tag "Can Freeze" at the end of posts to see which things I think will freeze well or see thumbnails of all those freezer-friendly recipes on the page for Can Freeze. Hope that is helpful for you; I'm excited about this new feature!
This is making me hungry! Can I find this squash this time of year??? If so, this will be on my table this weekend!
Oh yes, spaghetti squash is available all winter long!
Spaghetti squash is very high on my list for January (as you'll see in my posts later this month). For speed, I cook it in the pressure cooker, but oven roasting brings out more of the natural sweetness.
Lydia, I MUST try cooking it in the pressure cooker. Seems like such a brilliant idea.