Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe – Healthy and Delicious!

My mom sent me this recipe for spaghetti squash with lean ground turkey. She teaches health and nutrition classes and is always trying to find new ways to incorporate more vegetables into everyday food, which is also important to me. Although squash isn’t one of my favorites, I never tried spaghetti squash. It’s readily available this time of year, so I decided to give it a whirl. Overall, this recipe is a pleasant surprise and a healthy addition to my seasonal go to recipe list. If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash before, don’t be afraid. It’s easy to prepare and really does look like spaghetti. After preparing spaghetti squash in this recipe, I found that it actually tastes like a pasta dish, but with vegetables. Yum!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 cup water (enough to cover bottom of baking dish to steam squash)
1 pound ground lean turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion (you could also add ½ cup of chopped bell pepper if you like)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar of pasta sauce (26 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Wash the spaghetti squash, then cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place spaghetti squash, cut side down, in a baking dish; add water to the baking dish. Cover and bake spaghetti squash in a 375° oven for about 30 minutes, or until the spaghetti squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, scoop out squash into a large bowl, separating strands with a fork.

In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey, onion, bell pepper (if using), and garlic until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Add oregano, pepper, pasta sauce, and squash. Continue to cook and stir until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Transfer mixture to an ungreased casserole dish; stir in 5 oz. of the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle spaghetti squash with remaining grated cheddar cheese and cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.

We like to serve it with a side salad. Enjoy!