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This Spaghetti Squash Casserole tastes remarkably similar to the “Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole” that my mom used to make. Instead of using frozen hash browns, this healthy casserole features nutrient-rich spaghetti squash!
Cooked spaghetti squash has a surprisingly similar texture to hash browns, and blends seamlessly into this simple casserole, while being low in calories in carbohydrates. Spaghetti squash also contains vitamins A and C, along with B vitamins, like niacin and thiamin, which are thought to help promote healthy cellular function.
My mom’s hash brown casserole called for sour cream and tons of cheese, so I’ve lightened up this version by using plain goat’s milk yogurt, which has a similar tangy flavor and creaminess.
Research has shown that goat’s milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk, which is why I choose to use it in any recipe that calls for dairy, but you’re welcome to use traditional dairy products if they are easier for you.
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is baking the spaghetti squash. You can speed the process by cooking your spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot, either by cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds before cooking it OR you can simply cook it whole. There are pros and cons to both methods. (Here’s how to cook spaghetti squash in the oven.)
I think it’s easier to scoop out the seeds from the raw squash without loosing any of the good spaghetti-strands, but the raw squash is challenging to cut.
If you cook it whole, it’s very easy to cut in half later, but then the seeds are a little more tricky to scoop out without losing the nicely cooked spaghetti squash, too.
Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 cup plain goat's milk yogurt , or greek yogurt
- 3 oz . raw goat cheddar , shredded and divided
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , or to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, and remove the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side-down on the baking sheet, and cook for 35-45 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the outer shell.
- Once you have removed the cooked squash from the oven, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic until tender and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to a large mixing bowl, and combine with the yogurt and 2 oz. of shredded goat cheddar, and season with salt and pepper. When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the noodle-like strands into the bowl, and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to a 2.5-quart casserole dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ounce of goat cheddar over the top, and return to the oven to bake for 30 minutes at 400F.
- The casserole is ready when the top is a light golden brown, which makes for a crunchy crust! Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Per serving: Calories: 114, Carbohydrates: 10, Protein: 4, Fat: 6
Recipe Notes:
- If you’d prefer not to use goat dairy products, I think Greek yogurt and sharp cheddar cheese would be the closest substitute.
- Vegans can feel free to try vegan cheese and yogurt as a substitute, too– just make sure the yogurt has no added sugar, or the taste will be off.
- For those following food combining, spaghetti squash is unique in the sense that it is very hydrating and not starchy, so it can be considered “neutral” for food combining, like a vegetable. That means you can enjoy it with a high-quality meat added in to make it more of a meal-like casserole if you’d like to.
As always, if you make a modification to this recipe please leave a comment below letting us know what worked for you, so we can all benefit from your experience.
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of hash brown casseroles? It was one of my favorite dishes growing up, so I’m happily enjoying this properly combined version now!
This was delicious! I did make a few changes, but nothing that fundamentally altered the nature of the dish. Firstly I doubled the amount of onion because no dish can ever have too much onion in my opinion, and then I used regular mature cow’s milk cheddar and increased the qualtity by about 50% since my husband is a cheese-o-holic. Other than that, I followed the recipe and this was a huge success (even with my squash-hating husband).
I just made this with yogurt and a blend of cheddar and mozzarella bc that’s what I had, and added baby spinach and a little dry mustard to the seasoning (my Mac and cheese secret ingredient). Delicious! Will definitely make again
Didnt have goat milk,used coconut milk.and reg 3 cheese blend. Came out good. Will try again with other listed ingrediants.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I used yogurt and cheddar cheese since I couldn’t find the goat’s milk/cheese. The crunchy top definitely tastes like twice baked potatoes. I wish there I knew how to cut the tang from the yogurt just a bit.. It was a little much for my taste buds. I should have added chili powder like someone suggested. Will make again!
I was so happy when you posted this recipe because I had a spaghetti squash from our local farm stand to use. I replaced the goat cheese with cheddar and used cow’s milk greek yogurt. Because of the size of the spaghetti squash I 1/2 the recipe and used an 8 x 8 casserole dish. Delicious recipe that will be in our rotation-thank you!
Love this! It really satisfies a comfort food need. Delicious!
Do you think the combined casserole could be cooked on the grill?
Just made this. Used sharp white cheddar and sour cream as I didn’t have yogurt. Came out fantastic! Could’ve eaten the whole pan but husband beat me to it. Will definitely make again.
Well, I used plain greek yogurt, 2 oz of cheddar cheese, another half oz of goat cheese (can you tell I like cheese? Haha) I also sauteed green pepper, green onions and tomato with the garlic and butter. I added chives in the mix as well. Then topped with Panko mix and it was AMAZING!