Spinach & Ricotta Spaghetti Squash Bake

Pasta. A big, bad word in the world of Ketogenic Dieting (and most any diet out there). I LOVE pasta dishes, so I am always trying to find a good low carb substitute to some of my favorites. I’m not here to tell you it will taste like the real deal, but there are some tasty veggie based substitutes that won’t make you feel terrible after eating.

I’ve always been a big fan of white pizzas/spinach & ricotta based dishes, and the combination with roasted spaghetti squash is divine! We also added some sliced chicken breast in this mix, however you can sub for any added protein you want (a carb friendly Italian sausage would be good here), or leave out completely and add some artichokes instead if you want a vegetarian dish. This could also be made into a red sauce based dish just as easily – it’s so versatile and requires minimal work to get your “spaghetti”.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Medium to Large Spaghetti Squash

1 bag fresh spinach

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic

16 oz whole milk Ricotta (1 container from TJ’s)

1 egg

1 tbsp oil (I used Avocado, you can also use olive oil)

4 oz shredded mozzarella (half of your regular sized bag, or more…no one’s judging here)

Salt and Pepper to taste

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy insides.
• Drizzle Avocado oil in both cut halves and place face down (hollow side down) in a nonstick baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes until tender.
• While your squash is baking, rough chop your fresh spinach, and add your ricotta, egg, garlic, and S+P. Combine to make this delicious filling that you’ll want to put on everything

• Once your squash is cooked, let cool slightly so it is comfortable to touch, and use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash. (leave your oven on, you’ll be using it later). This will make long strands of “spaghetti”. For this first time making this dish, I chose to layer all of the spaghetti squash in the bottom of my baking dish, and put my ricotta mixture on top along with some chicken. Next time, I’ll be mixing it all together to bake. If you like the taste of spaghetti squash, i’d layer the dish. It makes for a nice change in texture and keeps the veggie taste front and center.  If you’re trying to mask the taste and do your best to pretend like it’s real pasta, Mix it together.
•  Once your squash and filling are together in your baking dish, top with Mozzarella and bake for 25 min until your cheese is nice and golden.

• I know this next part isn’t a “step”, but TELL ME THAT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD. Let this cool a bit before slicing, but it cuts and portions just like a lasagna would.

This made around 6 hearty portions and was PERFECT for dinner + lunch prep for a couple days for the two of us! This mixture would also be so good on Keto Pizza. 

Hope you guys enjoy!