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    Home » MAINS

    Creamy Spinach Spaghetti Squash Casserole

    Modified: Jun 13, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    This easy, creamy, cheesy spaghetti squash casserole is full of comfort and is a perfect vegetarian dinner for a family dinner, or as a side dish for steak or chicken. There are three kinds of cheese, peppers, onion and a big helping of spinach tucked into this delicious casserole.

    This dish can also be made ahead, covered and refrigerated, as it reheats beautifully in the oven or microwave.

    Jump to Recipe
    Cheesy spaghetti squash casserole with a spoonful of the casserole lifted for a closer look.

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    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • Freaky Friday
    • Life Love and Good Food Blog
    • 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • 📝 Instructions Overview
    • 🍽 Side Dish Ideas
    • What Did Everyone Else Make??
    • Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

    Vegetarian casseroles are a fabulous dinner solution for families with both vegetarians and meat eaters at the table. They work double duty as a main dish for the vegetarians, and a side dish for the others, like this Broccoli Cheddar Casserole with Quinoa and Yogurt.

    And, if you're looking for a Meatless Monday dinner for everyone, this dish is a winner with its cheesy creaminess. And if you're looking to cut back on carbs, the spaghetti squash is a perfect answer.

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • Comfort food. Totally checks the comfort food box.
    • Make ahead. Make it ahead and warm it back up on busy nights.
    • Flexible. Serve it as a vegetarian main dish, add chicken to the casserole for meat eaters at the table, or serve it as a side dish.
    • Kid-friendly!

    Freaky Friday

    What, you may wonder, is Freaky Friday??

    For starters, it's how I found this fabulous recipe that I guarantee you will love.

    It's a group of food bloggers who are secretly assigned one another’s blogs to make a recipe from. Then we all reveal who we had and what we made on the same Friday. And that's TODAY!

    Many thanks to Michaela from An Affair from the Heart who created and hosts this blog hop. At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of all of the other recipes our group cooked up - that's what makes it a blog hop :-).

    This dish of warm comfort comes from Sheila at Life Love and Good Food blog.

    A cheesy spaghetti squash casserole after a spoonful has been removed.

    Life Love and Good Food Blog

    Sheila is a southern girl who grew up on a farm in Eastern Tennessee, and comes from a long line of Southern home cooks, cooking everything from scratch.

    She's the author of two cookbooks, The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook, and the Easy Chicken Cookbook. Both are available on Amazon.

    Her blog is not vegetarian, but many of her dishes are very vegetarian-friendly. Her blog is full of Southern dishes, and she also loves Mediterranean food. Although she and her husband are now empty nesters, she was a working parent when her daughters were young, and adopted recipes that were easy to prepare. And this mix of easy but delicious Southern and Mediterranean foods is woven throughout her blog.

    In fact, it was difficult to decide which to make and share with all of you. At the top of my list are her Easy Vegetable Lasagna, this Cauliflower Gratin (I'm making that one next week!), and her Asiago Potato Stacks. And her Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes are calling my name.

    But now, let's talk a little more about Sheila's Creamy Spinach Spaghetti Squash Casserole.


    The ingredients for making a cheesy spinach spaghetti squash casserole, with text overlay.

    🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes

    • Spaghetti squash - either get one 3-pound or two 1 ½-pound squash.
    • Peppers - I used a mix of red bell pepper and poblano chile pepper, but you can use just the red bell pepper. We like a little more heat. If you do too, you can swap in one jalapeño pepper for the poblano pepper.
    • Yellow onion - white onion works well in this recipe too, but red onion is too sweet IMO.
    • Baby spinach - I used pre-washed baby spinach in a plastic container to make it super easy. If you use more mature spinach, I recommend you slice off the leggy stems, and coarsely chop.
    • Cheeses - cream cheese is mixed into the casserole, and a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese top the casserole. I used mozzarella cheese in a large round package, that was pre-sliced. This eliminated any cheese grating.

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    🔪 Recommended Equipment

    • Chef's knife
    • Air fryer - or however you plan to cook the spaghetti squash.
    • Medium skillet
    • Wooden spoon
    • Tongs
    • 8" X 8" casserole pan

    📝 Instructions Overview

    Detailed instructions for making this creamy spaghetti squash casserole are in the recipe card below, but here's a quick overview!

    Four process shots on how to roast or air fry a spaghetti squash, with text overlay.
    Step 1

    Spaghetti squash. There are a number of ways to cook spaghetti squash. In the Instant Pot, microwave, oven or air fryer. This post on Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash explains how to cook spaghetti squash in the air fryer with photos for each step. I prefer the air fryer because, hello, it's done in 15 minutes.

    Four process shots for making this cheesy spinach spaghetti squash casserole, with text overlay.
    Step 2

    Sauté. Cook the onion and peppers until softened. Add the garlic and spinach.

    Step 3

    Melt and fold. Melt the cream cheese into the veggies, and fold in the spaghetti squash "noodles". A wooden spoon is a great way to do this.

    Step 4

    Fill a baking dish and bake. Pile the spaghetti squash casserole filling into a baking dish. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly.

    Step 5

    Serve. If you wait about 10 minutes to cut into the casserole, it's easier to slice into portions. Serve warm.

    🍽 Side Dish Ideas

    Lemony Three-Bean Salad

    Lemony Romaine Salad with Avocado

    Simple Fattoush Salad

    Air Fryer Asparagus


    What Did Everyone Else Make??

    Now it’s time to see what all of the other participating bloggers made! Seriously, go check them out!

    See all of our 2023 Freaky Friday Winter Recipes

    Hosted by - An Affair from the Heart

    1. An Affair from the Heart - Bailey's Chocolate Chip Cookies
    2. The Carefree Kitchen - Chicken Tikka Masala
    3. The Culinary Compass - Scotcharoos Recipe
    4. Feast + West - Fried Pickles
    5. The Fresh Cooky - Easy Elderflower French 75 Cocktail with St Germain
    6. Home Cooked Harvest - Roasted Cabbage Steaks
    7. House of Nash Eats - Bread Pudding
    8. Life, Love, and Good Food - Cheddar Bay Biscuits
    9. Soulfully Made - No Rise Pizza Dough Recipe
    10. The Speckled Palate - Easy Cheese Ball Recipe
    11. Take Two Tapas - Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
    12. The Wimpy Vegetarian - Creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad in a serving bowl.
    4.99 from 57 votes

    Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

    This Street Corn Pasta Salad is a unique side dish that combines sweet corn with mayonnaise, sour cream, lime, spices, and cotija cheese and it's all tossed with pasta for a delicious main salad.
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: Mexican street corn pasta salad
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 382.3kcal
    Author: Susan Pridmore
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Brussels Sprouts

    • 1 pound rotini pasta
    • 2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • ⅓ cup sour cream
    • 1 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice about 1 lime
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
    • pinch black pepper
    • ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
      Add the pasta and cook to al dente. It's best to cook it 1-2 minutes less than recommended on the package to avoid overcooking.
      Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
    • Shuck the corn and slice off the kernels using a chef's knife. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the corn kernels. Pan-roast the kernels until they start to get dark brown spots.
      Allow to cool to room temperature.
    • Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt in a large mixing bowl. Add black pepper to taste.
      Add the cooled corn, cooled pasta, Cotija cheese, and cilantro, and toss to completely coat the pasta and corn.
    • Cover the pasta salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until chilled. This will also meld the flavors together before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 382.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 50.4g | Protein: 10.3g | Fat: 15.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 19.9mg | Sodium: 357.3mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4.3g | Vitamin A: 311.4IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 71.4mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    « Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Eggs
    Vegetarian Meal Plan: March - Week 1 »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michaela Kenkel

      February 24, 2023 at 7:24 am

      5 stars
      I can't wait to share this recipe with my son! He and his wife eat lots of spaghetti squash and are always looking for new ways to fix it!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        February 25, 2023 at 10:25 am

        5 stars
        So am I!! I think he'll love this one!

        Reply
    2. Tristin

      February 24, 2023 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      I love that this casserole has spinach and squash! My whole family is going to love this one.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        February 25, 2023 at 10:26 am

        5 stars
        My husband and I argued over who got the last helping! We all loved it!

        Reply
    3. Sam

      February 25, 2023 at 10:28 am

      5 stars
      I'm always looking for cozy vegetarian dishes for cold winter nights and this is just perfect!

      Reply
    4. Kathleen

      February 25, 2023 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      Love this, made it last night. So bright, fresh and filling -- thanks!

      Reply
    5. Erin

      February 25, 2023 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      This combination of flavors is SO GOOD! My family loved them, and this was such a comforting dish for the whole fam.

      Reply
    6. Sheila

      February 26, 2023 at 11:17 am

      5 stars
      Susan, so glad your family enjoyed my spaghetti squash recipe! It continues to be one of my most popular, and it really is so, so good! Also, thanks for all your kind words 😊

      Reply
    7. jennifer

      February 27, 2023 at 4:34 am

      5 stars
      spaghetti squash is so versatile and amazing! I can't believe I haven't made more things with it. This recipe is definitely a jumping off point to start experimenting for sure. I loved how creamy it was and the spinach went nicely with the flavor of the squash.

      Reply
    8. jill

      February 27, 2023 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      I'm on a big spaghetti squash kick right now and I can't wait to try this recipe! It sounds so good!

      Reply
    9. Susannah Brinkley Henry

      March 02, 2023 at 6:41 pm

      I am always looking for vegetarian recipes that I can serve my vegetarian family members and this one did not disappoint! I can always count on your site to have great recipes for them (that I love too!)

      Reply
    10. Amy

      March 04, 2023 at 3:51 am

      5 stars
      Such a wonderful dish! I love the small but not insignificant addition of nutmeg! It adds so much complexity and depth and warmth! It's one of my favorite ingredients!

      Reply
    4.99 from 57 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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    about the author:

    Susan Pridmore

    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

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