This spaghetti squash alfredo is made with a lightened-up sauce that tastes just as delicious as the more traditional one! If you love alfredo, but can’t afford to eat the regular, calorie-heavy version on a regular basis, you will love this spaghetti squash alfredo recipe. With a gluten-free and grain-free option.
This was the first spaghetti squash recipe I ever tried and going into it, I was very doubtful. I could not understand how squash could possibly take the place of noodles. But under all that amazing sauce, it works!
I absolutely love this recipe. It’s everything you love in alfredo except you don’t feel like you ate three days’ worth of calories after eating this for dinner.
This recipe comes to just over 400 calories for a huge half a squash serving, or half that if you serve it as a side dish for four people (using low-fat cream cheese and 1% milk) assuming the whole squash is 6-7 cups of squash.
I prefer full-fat dairy (for a number of reasons) so that’s a bit heavier in calories, but still pretty good for how filling it is. It also works great with goat butter and Pecorino Romano!
The calories aren’t my only issue with traditional fettuccine alfredo. After indulging in some alfredo, I usually fall into a carb coma and am useless for the rest of the day.
I’m not sure if this recipe qualifies as keto or low-carb, but it’s definitely WAY lower in carbs than the regular pasta version.
Of course, if your squash is smaller than mine was, you may not need all the sauce (save any extra for a small portion of pasta, or maybe even pizza night!). It’s not the lowest in sodium, but if the rest of your meals are home-cooked and fairly low in sodium it’s not such a big deal. This is definitely one treat you can enjoy guilt-free!
If you microwave your squash (here’s how) to avoid the baking time this is actually a really fast dinner to make! The sauce comes together in just a few minutes.
To make this spaghetti squash alfredo gluten-free or grain-free, you can use cassava flour. Every brand works a bit differently (unlike wheat flour), so I can only guarantee that this works with Bob’s Red Mill’s cassava flour.
Also note that you need a little less cassava than you do wheat flour! The roux will be quite crumbly but the sauce still comes together great.
I sprinkle the top of my spaghetti squash boats with a little extra Parmesan or even a little mozzarella and broil them for a few minutes, but you really don’t need to if you need the extra time. Mix in the sauce and you’re good to go!
To make things even simpler, you can skip serving them in their “shells” and just scrape the squash out into your pot of sauce (just make sure it’s big enough), stir, and serve.
I sometimes enjoy mine with a sprinkle of parsley, red pepper flakes, a Caesar salad on the side or maybe even some roasted broccoli with lemon, garlic and Parmesan cheese would be awesome with this, too.
Some add ham chunks is also a delicious addition! No matter how you serve it, I hope you love it as much as we do. 🙂
And if you’d like to try another cheesy squash dish, try my pumpkin macaroni and cheese!
By the way, I used a stripetti squash. It was actually labeled as spaghetti squash so I thought it was… a spaghetti squash. 😉 Spaghetti squash hasn’t made its way to Germany yet and I was super, super lucky to find the one I did. But here you can see it looks just like spaghetti squash on the inside!
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo (gluten-free, grain-free options)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (or another oil)
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoon (20 grams) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill cassava flour for gluten-free and grain-free
- 2-3 cloves of garlic very finely minced, grated or pressed
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) milk
- 1/2-1 cup (60 grams) freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First prep the spaghetti squash. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Cut the spaghetti squash in half using a large sharp knife, scoop out the seeds, and brush a little olive oil on the inside of each piece. Place the cut side down on a baking sheet.
- Bake until tender, about an hour. Alternatively, keep the spaghetti squash whole. Poke a few holes deep into the squash with a large knife. Place in the oven whole. Bake for 60 minutes, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing in half with a large serrated knife like a bread knife. Scoop out the seedy inside leaving the spaghetti strands.
- Once cooked, use a fork to gently scrape the "spaghetti" strands into the center. If they seem overly watery, use a tea towel / paper towel to drain the liquid (this rarely is needed when I make it).
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a small pot. Once hot add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk into the butter (if using cassava, it may look crumbly). Cook for another minute while stirring. Add the cream cheese and stir it into the butter mixture.
- Add the milk and whisk well. Bring up to a gentle simmer, cook until thickened, then remove from the heat. Add the freshly grated cheese and salt and stir until melted, just a minute or two. Pour half the sauce into each spaghetti squash half (or less if using a smaller squash). Gently stir to combine. Top with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and place under the broiler of your oven for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Pictures on this post were updated September 2019. This is what they looked like before:
Comments & Reviews
Donny says
Such dreamy comfort food! I’ll be making the cassava flour version and I’m so excited!
Cindy says
Just wondering if there’s any nutritional information available besides the calories and if anybody would know the weight watchers points for this item
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica says
I cannot wait to try this recipe!
I’ve always been a bit nervous (confession)to work with spaghetti squash but this recipe looks easy (and delicious!)
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
I love spaghetti squash. It’s our go-to “pasta”. Your alfredo sauce sounds fab!
Tessa Simpson says
Made this more my side last night, ultra creamy and delicious! Really complemented the spaghetti squash! Thank you!
Meredith says
I am always looking for fun spaghetti squash recipes – can’t wait to try this lightened up alfredo!
Kristen Wood says
Ooo..this sounds like some divine comfort food right here!!
Megan Stevens says
SUCH comfort food yumminess!! I plan to use white rice flour and think it’ll work great. I’ve been using it for thickening sauces lately and have found it works well. Thanks for this great fall recipe!
erin says
This looks so good!
Sharon says
That looks so decadent! I am always looking for ways to enjoy spaghetti squash. Can’t wait to try your recipe!!
Sarah says
THIS is how you indulge and feel good because you’re getting a dose of veggies! This looks insanely delicious!
RecipesFromTheHomestead says
Spaghetti squash is amazing! I love this recipe!
easyketodishes says
I love spaghetti squash!! It’s amazing, and this alfredo sauce sounds great!
Tarah says
There’s a spaghetti squash on my kitchen counter that needs to be part of this recipe! Everyone in this household loves alfredo dishes!
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica says
I am looking for new ways to enjoy spag squash and excited to try your recipe!
Thanks for all the great helpful tips! Delicious!
Raia Todd says
Alfredo is one of my favorite comfort foods. I love the idea of serving it with spaghetti squash instead of pasta!
Connie says
I have been making Spaghetti squash for years. For a much Faster way, I poke squash in several places and put in microwave for about 5 minutes, turn it over and another 5 minutes. Walla it’s done.
Lyndsey says
Try cooking your squash in the crockpot!! Poke it like you would if you were baking it, put in the crockpot with about an inch of water, set it on high and forget it for a few hours! I love not having to heat up my house with the oven
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Great idea, I’ll have to try that!
Liz says
Omg I laughed my butt off when I read this! My coworker gave me a spaghetti squash today and my other coworkers and very concerned about what injuries I will come back with on Monday. Thanks for the advice!
Raven says
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I used Old Bay instead of salt just to add a bit more depth. So delicious and decadent!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Yum! So glad you enjoyed it Raven! Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂
Joyce says
I’m on a very low carb eating plan that allows real, natural fats and meat protein, but does not allow garlic, milk or flour. I’ve discovered since starting this just after Easter that I have a bit of a gluten sensitivity, too, as gluten causes inflamation and achiness in my joints. I’m willing to “cheat” just a smidge by using a very small amount of garlic powder, and I can certainly substitute heavy cream for milk, but I’m not sure what to do to replace the flour. Can it be omitted completely?
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
You will need something to thicken the mixture up a little. I believe any gluten free flour blend could be used instead, or as a last resort maybe a bit of cornstarch could be used. If using cornstarch just mix with a little liquid and then stir into the sauce and cook just a few minutes till thicker. Maybe with your eating plan, a traditional Alfredo sauce would be better, the ingredients are just butter, cream, parmesan cheese and garlic of course but you could use what you can tolerate for that. You could always make a traditional sauce and pour it over spaghetti squash. That would be delicious 🙂
Joyce says
Thanks! It’s kind of surprising how many carbs a little flour and milk add up to!
Tori says
Loved this! Made it tonight for dinner, and other than being too impatient for it to go golden brown under the broiler, was a huge success! I love cheesy spaghetti squash recipes, and I love that this is quicker than my usual spaghetti squash carbonara. Added peas and some shredded chicken to make it a more filling main dish. Thank you!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Mmm, that sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping in to leave a comment! 🙂
Karen Safranski says
Sounds great. I have also prepared the spaghetti squash by leaving it in the crock pot on low all day for a time saver.
Katie says
Sounds wonderful!! I’ll have to try this on weight watchers :). I love spaghetti squash so I usually poke a hole in it and cook it in the microwave about ten minutes. That gets it half way done. Then I finish by roasting it cut side down in the oven because it has better flavor!!
Holly says
Can’t wait to try this! If you have a pressure cooker, you can cook the spaghetti squash in about 8 minutes! I think you need one 😉
Brittney says
Does this recipe reheat well??
Judy Paul says
This was so good!!! Now one of my favorite dishes!!!! Thanks
Kathy says
I just prick my squash all over and place in a large pot of boiling water and boil for 20-30 minutes depending on size. When it’s done you can pierce it easily with a knife. Take out let cool and cut open.
KalynsKitchen says
Thanks again for letting me feature this, just subscribed to your blog!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Thank you so much again for the feature Kalyn! And I’m so happy to have you subscribed, I’ve been subscribed to your blog for years 🙂
Chrissy says
I wanted to say omg this was SO good!!! I didnt have any milk so I used Dry milk, and added some grilled chicken and this was just AMAZING! Next time I will add some greens, probably some sweet pea tendrils or spinach. All in All, this recipe is an A++++++ LOVED IT!
Michelle K says
This was yummy! I’ve never made spaghetti squash before and I’m not sure if it’s supposed to me soft or not when it’s done. My squash was on the larger side so maybe I should have cooked it longer.
Kelsey says
Made this tonight and it was really, really good! I added an extra tablespoon of low fat cream cheese for added creaminess as well as some fresh spinach and tomatoes. Once I had the sauce made I threw in the veggies for a minute and then put the scooped out squash straight into the pot with the sauce and mixed it up. Great recipe. Thanks!
K8pers says
Absoltively delish!! I can’t comment further cuz I’m too busy eating!! Yummmmm!!!
Ania says
Hi Heidi,
I run into your Fooddoodles browsing other blogs and got stuck here for a while, checking recipe after recipe 🙂 You are addictive! I bought spaghetti squash for the first time, just as a variety, having no idea that it actually looks a bit like spaghetti inside. Made it yesterday from your recipe, it was great! Thank you very much for the inspiration. One modification which I think might give it a good twist is adding nutmeg to the sauce next time… Cheers from Poland!
Ania
Susan says
I am so sorry you had the exploding squash experience. I haven’t cooked spaghetti squash in years, but I know that even pricking it forcefully with a fork works on the steam. I have always cooked mine whole. And I learned to be careful not to overcook the squash. When you overcook it, it becomes mushy and bitter tasting. If you cook it whole, it’s a good idea to turn the squash over halfway through the cooking time.
I’m looking forward to making this as a side dish, so I can add a protein source. I think it might be nice (for non-vegans & non-vegetarians) with some chicken mixed in.
Megan says
I’m bummed :(… I normally like squash but i don’t know… I didn’t like this at all! The sauce is AMAZING! I guess trying to pair it with something that by itself has nothing to it.. It’s just not good. Maybe it was the different texture between regular spaghetti and this? I don’t know. Not a fan 🙁
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Aw, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I’m pretty picky about the texture of spaghetti squash, I don’t always enjoy it. I’m glad you like the sauce though, you can use it on regular pasta if you’d like, we do that all the time at our house 🙂
Jennifer Trefz says
Stab the squash with a fork a dozen or so times and stick it in the microwave for 5-10 minutes. It will soften it up enough so can easily cut it in half. Plus it will cut down on the baking time.
Joan says
With 10 grams of trans fat, I think I’ll skip this recipe. A shame, because it really looks great. Will try to cut the fat down though.
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
I think you mean saturated fat. I’m sorry you can’t get away from saturated fat in a dish like alfredo, but 10 grams is very low for a large serving like this(especially since 1 tbsp of butter is 7 grams of saturated fat and alfredo is usually mostly butter and cream!). Like I said, this is quite a large serving, maybe consider eating a smaller portion as a side to something else to reduce the amount of saturated fats you have in one sitting. At least there’s no trans fats in this 🙂
Joan says
Sorry, read it wrong. Even so, it’s still too much for me.
Roxanne says
My son stays away from saturated fats too. have you ever tried the Earth Balance buttery spreads? that might be a great substitute for this recipe. They only have 2 to 3 grams of fat per tbsp. They taste pretty good to. The sticks have 5g of sat fat.
This recipe sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it!
Roxanne says
My son stays away from saturated fats too. have you ever tried the Earth Balance buttery spreads? that might be a great substitute for this recipe. They only have 2 to 3 grams of sat fat per tbsp. They taste pretty good to. The sticks have 5g of sat fat.
This recipe sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it!
Cindy O. says
Made this tonight and topped the spaghetti squash with steamed broccoli, sliced cherry tomatoes, and green onions before pouring on the sauce. So delish!!!
Suzanne says
What a delicious meal we had tonight. I added the broccoli and red pepper flakes,. It was just wonderful and enjoyed by my husband as well. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!!
Jessi Marie says
I made this tonight and my husband and I LOVED it! The sauce was simple and amazing- it would go great with almost any veggie or on a whole wheat pasta. I am committing this recipe to memory and will definitely make it again.
Jessi says
Since microwaving kills a lot of the nutrition, I bake mine in the oven while baking other items to save time and energy. 🙂
Daniel says
Made this tonight, topped it with some fresh minced basil and it turned out phenomenal!
Cathye says
I cook spaghetti squash all the time. I’ve found if I place it in the microwave whole and cook on high for 5-7 min, it softens the squash up enough to more safely cut in half. The you can remove seeds and return to either the microwave or oven to complete cooking.
Tammy says
This recipe looks awesome!!! Since I don’t use grain flour, do you think almond or coconut flour would work well as a substitute? Thanks!
Steve Deola says
I am making this right now. I am a little skeptical about the flavor profile. The squash may be a litle light for the sauce. Just pulled it out of the broiler. Looks good waiting for the wife.
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought 🙂
Robin says
LOVE the idea of alfredo speghetti squash. Making this for dinner tonight w/ some chicken sausage. I’ve found rubbing the inside of the squash w/ a little olive oil and seasoning it w/ a little salt and pepper then roasting it in the oven makes for an absolutely PERFECT squash every time. Worth the 60-75 minutes in the oven.
Carlie says
I bakes this for an hour at 350 and when i cut it open mpst of it was pretty mushy. not the consistency i was looking for at all. Is that how its supposed to taste when cooked properly? or once you microwave the squash long enough to cut it open, is good enough, that it doesnt have to be recooked?
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
I’m sorry I really don’t know because I don’t microwave my squash. The squash shouldn’t be mushy though. The spaghetti-like strands should have a little bit of bite to them still. You can test the doneness just by running a fork on the inside and if spaghetti like strands of squash come away from the rest of the squash, it’s done! Next time you bake a spaghetti squash try baking it for less time before testing to see if it’s done. Your squash may have just been smaller and cooked faster.
Rhonda says
I cook spaghetti squash in the crock pot. I just poke it a few times with a fork, put in in a large crock pot (mine is oval shaped) and let it go all day on low. Very easy!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Wow – this sounds wonderful! I’ve been wanting to try making spaghetti squash at home for a while, and this sounds like the perfect way to try it. Thanks for the cutting tip as well! 🙂
Chrissy D says
Made this tonight and hubby and I loved it! I omitted the flour, double the cream cheese and added a bunch of baby spinach to the sauce. Thanks for the inspiration!
HungryBimbos says
This looks absolutely amazing! Cannot wait to make this next week! Definitely want to try it out at our next Bimbo dinner party.
Jackie says
You can microwave a whole squash for 60 seconds. It softens enough to cut through it w/o cooking it.
Debra says
I made this last night, and it was wonderful! I added sauteed onions and mushrooms. My boyfriend loved it.
dani says
Microwave the squash for 5 mins. It will make it soft enough to halve
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
This is SO fantastic, Heidi! Thanks for the great recipe. I made it last night and it was absolutely delicious.
Sandra says
Wow that looks delicious. I love spaghetti squash. I know what you mean about exploding spaghetti squashes — I cooked one in my microwave and it exploded, blew the door open, and just missed my baby in the high chair! I had poked the skin, but don’t think I stabbed it deep enough. I had to get a new microwave – it was totally destroyed. So I always cut them in half now…
Amanda says
OMG – this looks and sounds AMAZING!! I think I need to try this this week!
Chels H says
You can also cut your squash in half, and put it in a casserole dish in the microwave to cut down on time. Put the squash in the dish face down, and add about an inch of water to the dish. It will only take about 10-15mins depending on microwave strength. Love this recipe, can’t wait to try!
Colleen says
This looks amazing, I’m going to make it this week! I’m thankful for your advice on avoiding an explosion too! Good thing there were no injuries.
Julie says
I microwave my spaghetti squash. Poke it all over with a fork, cook 8 minutes. Then turn over and cook 8 more minutes. Viola! Thanks for the recipe, I’m going to try it tonight.
Erin says
I mad this tonight but used jalapeño Monterey Jack and it was AMAZING! Thanks!
Stephanie says
oh man, made this tonight and it is amazing!! I bought a really small squash and then only made half of the sauce recipe.. and it was perfect for two servings. Love the sauce so so much!
heather says
WOW your spaghetti squash looks so perfect…I think I tend to over cook mine, i need to work on that!
Nice recipe Heidi, keep em’ coming!
Melissa says
Omg!!! Genius!!!! I just made it and it was delish!!!!!!
Stephanie says
zomg! I adore both spaghetti squash and alfredo sauce. I am so making this when my boyfriend goes away at the end of the month (I save all vegetarian dishes I want to try for when he is away ha.)
Sasha |Global Table Adventure says
I’m always wondering what to do with Spag squash. Thanks for the idea – looks too good not to try 🙂
Jill says
I made spaghetti squash for the first time last night and LOVED it! I started eating gluten free recently, and my gluten-eating BF was craving pasta I tried spaghetti squash. He tried a bit of mine, and liked it – so it looks like i’ll be searching out more spaghetti squash recipes! YAY!
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
Holy. Moly. I’m a spaghetti squash fiend and this just sort of blew my mind. Yum; looks so freakin’ good!
Carmen says
If you want to spend less time just poke holes in the spaghetti squash with a fork and then cook it in the microwave. I haven’t done one in awhile but I want to say it usually takes about 20 mins. Start with 10-15 mins and check it frequently and once you can stick a fork into it easily or press it and it’s soft (with an oven mitt on!!!) it’s done. Let it cool, then cut and scoop everything out!
Sarah says
This is a great way. I love how the bowl is throw away..LOL. It looks so good 🙂
Ari @ Ari's Menu says
This is pretty similar to the way I make my alfredo, and it’s probably my favorite dinner that I have ever posted! I haven’t done it without scraping the cooked squash though–I will definitely have to give it a try!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
Okay, this is going to have to go onto my lunch plan sometime soon. Man, I make your recipes all the time, don’t I? I guess it’s because you’re a genius! 😀
Carissa says
I’m totally cooking my spaghetti squash whole next time! That’s brilliant! It’s worth risking the explosion compared to trying to hack through it raw.