Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

This easy Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash is a warm and creamy, comforting side dish that’s low in carbs, but loaded with the most incredible combination of flavors.

closeup overhead view of Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

Download FREE COPY OF

Easy Keto Dinners eBook

15 Easy Keto friendly dinners made in 30 minutes or less!

❤️ Why You’ll Love this Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

  • Bold garlic parmesan flavor
  • Creamy texture
  • Perfect for holiday or special occasions
  • Easy to Make
Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash being spooned

When you think about comfort food, spaghetti squash may not be the first thing you think of. But with just a few simple ingredients and minimal preparation, this squash recipe will change your mind!

For this recipe, spaghetti squash is roasted until it’s nice and tender then shredded. The strands are seasoned to perfection then blended with a combination of nutty parmesan cheese and creamy mascarpone to create a rich and indulgent Keto side dish your whole family will love.    

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash in skillet

Serve it straight out of the skillet or for an extra special presentation, add the creamy squash mixture back into the culled-out peelings and bake until the parmesan cheese has melted on top.

🛒 What’s in Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

🔪 How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven

Preheat oven to 400°F.

spaghetti squash cut open with seeds being spooned out

Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds.

spaghetti squash cut open face down with holes in each

Using a fork, poke a few sets of holes on the outside of each half.

Tip: Poking holes allows the steam to escape.

spaghetti squash cut open with olive oil salt and pepper on top of sheet pan with parchment paper

Brush olive oil on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then drizzle the cut side of the spaghetti squash with olive oil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper, then place cut side down on the baking sheet.

roasted spaghetti squash on baking sheet with parchment paper

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until cooked through. Remove it from the oven, flip both halves over and allow to cool while you make the sauce.

garlic butter in skillet

Heat a large skillet to medium low and add in the butter and olive oil.  Once the butter has melted, add in the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds or until fragrant, but do not brown it.

garlic butter cream sauce in skillet

Stir in the chicken broth and mascarpone cheese, salt and pepper to taste. 

spaghetti squash being scraped with fork

Once the spaghetti squash has cooled enough to handle, shred it into long spaghetti like strands using a fork.

spaghetti squash in butter sauce in skillet

Add the squash to the skillet along with the parsley and (optional) red pepper flakes, toss to combine and cook until heated through.

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash with grated cheese on top

Add in the parmesan cheese and toss. Serve with more grated parmesan cheese and parsley over the top. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash in skillet

Can I Eat Spaghetti Squash on Keto?

You sure can! Spaghetti squash is often used as a low carb substitute for pasta. Not only is it low in carbs, but it’s also a good source of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6. It also contains small amounts of magnesium, thiamine, folate, iron, and calcium.

How Many Net Carbs are in Spaghetti Squash?

While spaghetti squash may not be as low in carb as some other squash varieties, it’s still considered a low carb veggie. There are 10 total grams of carbs for an entire cup of cooked spaghetti with over two grams of fiber. That brings the net carbs to about 7.5 net carbs.

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash being spooned

Does Spaghetti Squash Actually Taste Like Spaghetti?

Honestly, the only thing that taste like pasta is, well, pasta. But the great thing about spaghetti squash is that between the pasta-like strands and it’s fairly neutral flavor, it acts as a blank canvas for just about any traditional spaghetti recipes.

I love to bake it and mix it with Homemade Marinara and top it with parmesan cheese to satisfy my spaghetti cravings.

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

What Should I Serve with Spaghetti Squash?

This hearty side dish is so delicious that it would almost be easier to name what wouldn’t go with it. You can serve it with anything from Grilled Shrimp to Air Fryer Chicken Tenders to something more elegant like Pan Sear Filet Mignon or Broiled Lobster Tails. The possibilities are truly endless.

closeup of Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

Tips for Buying Spaghetti Squash

If you’ve never bought spaghetti squash before, here are a few things to look for to make sure you get the right one!

  • The peeling should be dry and firm, with no cracks of mushy spots. 
  • Avoid spaghetti squash that looks super shiny. That is usually a sign that it has a wax coating on it.
  • It should have an even pale, yellow color all over. If it has green spots that means the squash is not quite ripe enough.
  • Pick it up and feel how heavy it is. A good squash will feel heavy for its size.
  • Always pick spaghetti squash that has a dry and firm stem still attached.

Can You Eat Spaghetti Squash Seeds?

Absolutely! You can roast them for a crunchy and healthy snack, just like you would pumpkin seeds.

overhead view of Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash in skillet

Do You Have to Peel Spaghetti Squash?

The skin on spaghetti squash is not harmful, but that does not mean it’s all that tasty. That’s why most recipes suggest roasting it first.

What is the Difference Between Butternut Squash and Spaghetti Squash?

There are several major differences in butternut squash and spaghetti squash. The biggest difference is the texture. Spaghetti squash has a noodle like texture, where butternut squash has a creamy texture when cooked and works great in soups and chilis like this Crockpot Chili with Butternut Squash.

Another big difference is taste. Where butternut squash has a sweet nutty flavor, spaghetti squash has a fairly neutral flavor that allows it to absorb seasonings and sauces really well.

More Keto Side Dish Recipes

20 Easy Keto Recipes Cover Thumbnail
garlic butter steak bites recipe card

Download FREE COPY OF

20 Easy Keto Dinners eBook

Easy and delicious Keto recipes that anyone can make!

closeup overhead view of Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

This easy Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash is a warm and creamy, comforting side dish that's loaded with the most incredible combination of flavors.
5 from 11 votes
Author: Julianne
Servings 8
PREP 5 minutes
COOK 40 minutes
TOTAL 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 – 4 pound spaghetti squash
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, fresh grated
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds. Using a fork, poke a few sets of holes on the outside of each half.
  • Brush olive oil on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then drizzle the cut side of the spaghetti squash with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper, then place cut side down on the baking sheet.
  • Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Remove it from the oven, flip both halves over and allow to cool while you make the sauce.
  • Heat a large skillet to medium low and add in the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add in the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds or until fragrant, but do not brown it.
  • Stir in the chicken both and mascarpone cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once the spaghetti squash has cooled enough to handle, shred it into long spaghetti like strands using a fork.
  • Add the squash to the skillet along with the parsley and (optional) red pepper flakes, toss to combine and cook until heated through.
  • Add in the parmesan cheese and toss. Serve with more grated parmesan cheese and parsley over the top. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

Recipe Notes

If you can’t find mascarpone cheese, you can substitute with cream cheese.  I prefer the mascarpone because of it’s mild flavor.
You can also use either Asiago or Romano cheese instead of or in combination with the parmesan cheese.  Just be sure to try to use freshly grated if you can.

*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 219kcal
Nutrition Facts
Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash
Amount per Serving
Calories
219
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
 
11
g
69
%
Carbohydrates
 
9
g
3
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
7
g
14
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

© Copyright for Keto Cooking Christian LLC. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

Rate this Recipe

Bible verse of the day

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
5 from 11 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. I cut the squash around the middle, rather than end to end. Lightly salt the halves, 1/2c of water in the Instant Pot. 13 minutes…………it’s prefect. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.

  2. 5 stars
    I absolutely loved it. So much easier than I thought. The hardest part is cutting the squash in two!! Very nice, will make again! So happy that this is keto!!
    Oh, I used Cream Cheese (the lactose free cream cheese has fewer carbs than the regular one too, good tip to know) instead of the marscarpone and it was just delish!

  3. 5 stars
    Question Can I save half of the squash uncooked or should I cook the whole thing since I am cooking for one Thank you for sharing this one, loved it and thank you also for showing me the correct way of cooking it. I always cut in half the other way and found I had to cook it longer and did not like the texture that way as it cooked unevenly. Will try the next squash with Marinara sauce. I love your site so many great recipes and have enjoyed all the ones I have tried so far keep them coming some new ones for pork would be great in the slow cooker

    1. You are so welcome and thank you for the kind comments. For this recipe, if you want to half the recipe, you can. You can also make the whole recipe and freeze what you do not eat.