21 Day Fix Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe
Being on the 21 Day Fix, I wanted to create some of my own comforting recipes that fit within those parameters. So I created a 21 Day Fix spaghetti squash casserole recipe! If you’ve never had spaghetti squash before, you’re in for a treat! On the outside, it kind of looks like a more round, hard version of a yellow squash. On the inside, the seeds and strings are much like a pumpkin’s. Once you remove the seeds and membrane, you can scrape the sides with a fork, and out come delicious strings that when cooked to perfection have the texture of angel hair pasta, but with an even more incredibly rich flavor.
I decided to celebrate the movie’s release by creating a spaghetti squash casserole recipe, that you can bake right in the squash! And as always, it is using all-natural ingredients, has 21 Day Fix container counts, AND includes an option to make it vegetarian.
Ingredients
The ingredients listed below are for two people:
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 2 whisked eggs
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 8 oz can of unsalted tomato sauce
- Either 8 oz of meat crumbles, or if doing vegetarian option 1/2 of a 16 oz package of frozen meatless crumbles
- 1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese to top
21 Day Fix Container Counts: 1 red, 1 blue, 1.5 green, 1/3 purple.
I am vegetarian, however my husband isn’t, so instead of making two batches of casserole I made the whole batch with vegetarian meat. When baked in a casserole with other ingredients, you can’t really taste the difference!
Preparation
Your first step is to cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to get a large serrated chopping knife, and stick the tip straight down in the center of the squash (pictured above) to create an opening. Then, lower down the knife as you move it back and forth, as if you’re sawing it in half.
Next, you’ll remove the membrane and seeds of the squash, so that it is hollow. Sometimes the membrane can be pretty slippery and stubborn to remove, so I recommend using a fork and pair of kitchen scissors, and use them to remove the membrane much in the same way you would trim hair:
Now it’s time to get those yummy spaghetti squash strings removed! First you’ll need to soften the squash to remove the strings more easily. Put your squash in the microwave for 5-10 minutes, checking at 5 minutes to see if you can easily scrape the strings out using a fork. Put in for additional microwave cooking time if needed. Once softened, scrape the insides out of the squash, leaving some wall room since you’ll be baking your casserole inside your squash.
Place your strings you removed on a microwave safe plate, and microwave for 3 minutes.
Now it’s time prepare the rest of our casserole ingredients! Go ahead and chop your 1/3 cup red onion, mince your four cloves of garlic, and measure out your 1 tsp of dried basil. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large pan, heat 1 T of oil on high heat. Cook your meat or veggie meat in your pan for about 5 minutes, then add in your garlic, basil, onion, and the spaghetti squash strings you microwaved. Lower heat to medium, and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, add in your two whisked eggs, stirring while you add them into your pan. Then you’ll want to add in an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, stirring well. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or however long your meat takes to be fully cooked, stirring frequently.
Now that you’re done making the inside of your casserole, it’s time to bake it! Scoop the mixture you made into each of your squash halves, packing tightly. Top each side with 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese.
Put on a pan or cookie sheet, and put into the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
Serve
You can now eat and enjoy, and feel free to scrape the bottom of your squash even more when you’ve reached the end of your meal!
This is one of my favorite meals I’ve created, and the perfect blend of health and comfort food! If you have any leftover casserole filling that didn’t fit into your squash, a great use of them is to put on a hamburger bun and eat them as a sloppy joe for a future meal.
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