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About This Recipe
This dish takes the nostalgic flavors of traditional stuffing and gives it a nutritious, high-fiber, and protein upgrade. The spaghetti squash adds natural sweetness and a great “noodle-like” texture, while cream cheese and cottage cheese add creaminess (and extra protein) for the perfect combination. It’s cozy, satisfying, and the type of comfort food that still feels indulgent, but in a lighter, more balanced (low carb) way.
The hardest part of this dish is honestly just cooking the roasted spaghetti squash. I recommend roasting the spaghetti squash in the oven, then shredding it into spaghetti-like strands, but if you’ve never cooked spaghetti squash before or are short on time, check out my favorite 3 ways to cook spaghetti squash!
Enjoy this stuffing bake as a cozy Thanksgiving side dish, or turn it into an easy weeknight meal to use up your holiday leftovers. Toss in extra veggies, leftover turkey, or any stuffing mix you still have on hand.
If you’re looking for a more traditional stuffing recipe, try my Sausage Apple Cranberry Stuffing. Or for more lightened-up Thanksgiving recipes, try my Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans and Marshmallows, Healthy Green Bean Casserole without Mushroom Soup, or Healthy Cranberry Sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti Squash Stuffing Bake
- A healthier holiday side: All the familiar stuffing flavors but with fewer carbs and more nutrients!
- High in protein and fiber: A great recipe to add protein and fiber to your holiday plate.
- Great for meal prep: Requires minimal prep time and reheats well, so it’s a great option for Thanksgiving leftovers or as a make-ahead side.
- Easy to customize: Can easily make gluten-free or add additional mix-ins!
- Whole family approved: Lots of savory flavors, soft texture, and cheesy goodness make this one a winner with everyone around the table.
- Spaghetti squash: You’ll need one large spaghetti squash cooked and shredded. Check out my favorite 3 ways to cook spaghetti squash!
- Butter: I used unsalted butter, but if using salted, you can reduce or omit the amount of additional salt.
- Celery and yellow onion: Finely chopped. You can also add carrots or any other extra veggies for extra flavor.
- Cream cheese: I use reduced-fat for a lighter option, but full-fat works too.
- Cottage cheese: My favorite brand is Good Culture because it has a great texture and lots of protein. Any small-curd cottage cheese works, I just recommend using one that isn’t too liquidy.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together.
- Cornstarch: Thickens everything slightly so the casserole sets well.
- Seasonings and herbs: Onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper. Fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, or thyme can also be added for a more traditional stuffing flavor.
- Stuffing mix: Any brand works. Use 1.5 cups in the casserole and 1 cup on top for crunch.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free stuffing mix.
- Boost the protein: Add cooked ground turkey, chicken sausage, spicy Italian sausage, ground beef, roasted turkey, shredded chicken, etc.
- Extra veggies: Mix in sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach, kale, or finely diced carrots.
- More classic stuffing flavor: Add poultry seasoning or fresh sage.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
- First, cook spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use a large knife to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and stringy bits.
- Lightly drizzle olive oil on the inside and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash cut side down on a greased baking sheet. Poke a few holes with a fork.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender but still a little bit firm (since it will cook more in the casserole and we don’t want it to get mushy!). Remove from the oven; immediately (and carefully), flip the squash so the cut side is facing up on the sheet pan. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the strands from the squash.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until tender, ~ 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the cream cheese and cottage cheese. Beat with a hand mixer.
- Add the egg, corn starch, salt, pepper, and all the seasonings.
- Beat until combined.
- Combined the cooked veggies, squash strands and 1.5 cups of stuffing mix.
- Mix until combined.
- Grease a medium-sized baking dish. Add spaghetti squash stuffing and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining one cup of stuffing mix on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let cool completely, then freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Place in the fridge to thaw overnight and reheat in the oven for the best texture.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or bake at 350°F until heated through.
Helpful Tips
✨Don’t over-roast the squash: Slightly firm strands keep the bake from becoming watery.
💧Drain excess moisture: If your squash seems wet, gently press it with paper towels to blot away excess moisture.
🌿Use fresh herbs for extra holiday flavor: Sage, rosemary, and thyme all work beautifully.
⌛️Let it rest: A short cool-down time helps the casserole set for cleaner slices.
Can I make this spaghetti squash stuffing bake ahead of time?
Yes! I recommend assembling the casserole up to the topping, then covering and refrigerating for up to 24 hours. Add the topping right before baking, so it stays crispy.
Why is my spaghetti squash stuffing casserole watery?
If your casserole turned out watery, it’s most likely due to overcooked squash. Be sure to cook your squash just until it’s fork-tender but still a little bit firm. It will continue to cook while the casserole bakes. Make sure to adjust the cooking times accordingly for the size of your squash.
Can I add protein?
Sure! Feel free to add in cooked ground turkey, chicken sausage, or even leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make this a complete meal for a simple dinner!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Spaghetti Squash Stuffing Bake
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash 900g once cooked & shredded
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (28g)
- 3 large celery stalks (150g) chopped small
- 1 small yellow onion (150g) chopped small
- 4 oz. cream cheese reduced-fat
- 1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese (112g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch (8g)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. each onion powder & garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. each dried dill, dried parsley, black pepper
- 2.5 cups stuffing mix (150g) divided, 1½ cups mixed in, 1 cup for topping
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Instructions
- First, cook spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and stringy bits.
- Lightly drizzle olive oil on the inside and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place squash cut side down on a greased baking sheet. Poke a few holes with a fork.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender but still a little bit firm (since it will cook more in the casserole and we don’t want it to get mushy!)
- Remove from the oven; immediately (and carefully), flip squash so the cut side is facing up. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the strands from the squash.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until tender, ~ 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and cottage cheese. Beat with a hand mixer. Add the egg, corn starch, salt, pepper and all the seasonings and beat until combined.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the cooked veggies and squash strands. Then stir in 1.5 cups of stuffing mix.
- Grease a medium-sized casserole dish. Add spaghetti squash stuffing and spread out evenly. Sprinkle remaining one cup stuffing mix on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven for the best texture.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or bake at 350°F until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
