This spaghetti squash meatball casserole is an easy weeknight dinner you can make quickly with only 4 ingredients. And it’s a great gluten free alternative to pasta!
This was one of my first posts and I when I came upon it I remembered how good it was even though it used only 4 ingredients. So I decided to make over this spaghetti squash meatball casserole post and boy was it good! I bought all of my ingredients at Aldi and put it together in a flash. This is a great week day dinner and your family will not miss the pasta!
Similar Spaghetti Squash Recipes to try
I really like spaghetti squash but I forget to buy and make it. I have two tasty spaghetti squash recipes on the blog: spinach walnut pesto with shrimp and a shrimp prima vera dish. Check those out if you like spaghetti squash. They too are very simple and delicious!
Cooking the spaghetti squash
To cook the spaghetti squash you can either microwave it for 12 – 15 minutes until it is fork tender or this time I used the Instant Pot. You just stack the 4 cleaned squash halves in the pot (using the trivet that came with it), along with 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Quickly release the steam and you have yourself 4 halves of spaghetti squash ready to go. I love the Instant Pot for things like this. You just set it and forget it.
Making the casserole
Once the squash is cool enough to touch, just scrape the sides but keep it inside the skin which acts as a bowl. Next add some sauce and meatballs and top with shredded mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and that’s it.
spaghetti squash meatball casserole
Like I said I bought all of the ingredients at Aldi. I used their frozen meatballs and their jarred marinara sauce. I tried to keep it as low carb as I could so I bought the marinara that had the least amount of net carbs. It was the Specially Selected brand and had 5 net carbs for 1/2 cup. While this was not a low carb meal it wasn’t too bad and 1 serving was very large. So the nutrition for 1 serving (1 half spaghetti squash) is:
410 cals / 31.1g fat / 18.6g carbs / 3.8g fiber /23.8g protein = 14.8g net carbs.
Spaghetti Squash Meatball Casserole (4 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 4 small spaghetti squash cut in halves
- 24 small frozen meatballs
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
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Cut squash in half lengthwise and clean out seeds.
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Microwave for about 12 - 15 minutes until fork tender.
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(Note if you have an Instant Pot you can cook by stacking them one on top of another using the trivet that came with it and adding a cup of water. Press manual button for 5 minutes and the quick release the pressure valve.)
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Once the squash are cool enough to handle, sprinkle salt and pepper on them and scrape the squash loose but keep in the skin which acts as a bowl.
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Divide the sauce and spoon over the squash.
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Next add 6 meatballs per squash and top with the shredded cheese.
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Broil unit the cheese is melted.
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Debbie
This makes my mouth water! Looks so amazingly good!!
Denise
Thanks, it’s an old recipe I redid!
Rick
Not a huge squash fan, but I really liked the stuffing. Denise can eat the squash.
Agness of Run Agness Run
Such a great lunch recipe, Denise. This casserole recipe is so palatable and definitely worth trying. Do you have any good recipe for meatballs?
Denise
I have a paleo meatball recipe and a middle eastern recipe and lastly a recipe I use in my meatball stuffed peppers. Hope that helps!
Kathleen
What an awesome idea! I make spaghetti squash all the time as we love it. This recipe sounds so good can’t wait to try it! When you say stack insta pot do you mean after cut in half and cleaned you stand up or just pile on top of one another? Also you say 4 squash but I’m guessing it’s 2 cut in half to make 4?? Thanks! LOVE your blog!!!!!!!!!
Denise
Sorry if that was confusing. Yes, I cut 2 squash in halve to make 4 pieces, cleaned the seeds out of them and then stacked them one on top of the other in the instant pot. I also used the trivet that came with it so the bottom one wouldn’t be sitting in the water. Not sure if that matters or not though.
That’s all. Also use the quick release instead of the natural release so the squash doesn’t get too mushy. Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.