Aiming to eat more veggies? This Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash recipe packs an entire package of spinach swirled with an easy cheesy cream sauce.
I’m a really big fan of using an entire package of fresh spinach in a single recipe.
Whether it’s on a tasty flatbread pizza, stuffed into peppers, tossed into a healthy salad, or swirled into an easy cheesy dip, I feel an epic sense of accomplishment if I can fit the entire package into my face somehow.
Not that spinach ever really goes to waste here, but there’s much less margin for error if you use every little bit of that box-o-spinach.
No stray leaves to accidentally forget about, no 1/4 empty box taking up precious fridge space, and no baggies of spinach growing legs next to that partially chopped onion you also forgot about… haha not that I would know from experience or anything.
Ok fine, I’ve totally been there! We all have, right?
Besides, if you use the whole package you not only make Popeye proud, but I’m sure your parents can somehow sense that you’re eating a whole boatload of veggies and are super duper happy about it.
Do it for the parents! Eat all the spinach!
We can start with this easy cheesy stuffed spaghetti squash. YUM!
Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash
Mouthful of a title. Mouthful of deliciousness!
Okay that was excessively cheesy, even for me! My apologies.
Please forgive me and make this easy cheesy stuffed squash the second you step foot in the kitchen. Pretty please? With Parmesan on top!
Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash
This crazy delicious garlic parmesan spaghetti squash is one of the most popular recipes on Peas and Crayons — and for good reason too!
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (approx. 2-3lbs)
- 2.5 TBSP minced garlic
- 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 5 oz fresh spinach chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 TBSP cream cheese (optional but delicious!)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated or sliced mozzarella for topping to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
- For easy cutting, feel free to stick your squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad. Pierce it a few times with a knife (to help vent so it doesn’t burst) and cook for for 3-5 minutes. The knife slides through way easier this way! Smaller squash will need about 3 minutes while larger ones will be good to go at 4-5 min.
- Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.
Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil and place on your baking dish/sheet cut side down. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.
- The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you’d like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.
- While the squash roasts, start on the sauce.
- In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Next add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add your cream, cream cheese (totally optional but totally tasty) and parmesan cheese and stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
- Once squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mit and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.
- Pour your sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parm cheese, if desired.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned. Dive in while it’s HOT!
Recipe Notes
T-REX CHEFS: Feel free to add chicken if you’d like! Stir it in with the sauce and veggie noodles or serve it up on the side. Grilled, roasted, baked, poached, rotisserie… anything goes! Shrimp is also a tasty addition to the squash.
Recipe yields 4 servings (so about 1/4 a spaghetti squash per person) as a side dish or it can be split into 2 portions (half a squash per person) as more of a main course, especially if you’re adding extra protein and/or veggies!
Nutrition facts below are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, estimate calculated before mozzarella topping <– add as much or as little as you’d like!
If you give this Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash a try, let us know! Leave a comment, share it on social media, and even take a picture and tag it #peasandcrayons on Instagram – I can’t wait to see your creations!
Short on time? Roast it in advance! When I’m making them ahead of time I under-bake the squash by about 5-10 minutes and then finish them off with the easy cheesy filling when we’re ready to eat!
so . . . how was it?!
This easy cheesy spaghetti squash was deliciously dreamy! The creamy parmesan sauce basically turned the tender spaghetti squash strands into the most luscious Alfredo. Throw in some savory sautéed garlic and spinach and we have some serious magic going on here.
“I’m in love! I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it!”
I’m perpetually looking for ways to get my oh-so-skeptical husband excited about having spaghetti squash for dinner and this recipe totally did the trick!
The first time I tested this Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Spinach Spaghetti Squash I made it around lunchtime and told him he could have *just one bite* of my precious lunch. Next thing I know he’s leaning over, mouth open, begging for another bite. And another. And another…
VICTORY!!!
Heather Wagner
I added kielbasa and, because I used half and half instead of heavy cream, I doubled the amount of cream cheese. I didn’t have any spinach, so I chopped up a frozen bag of brussel sprouts. I had to add a little more salt to compensate.
My super picky 8 year old (who HATES veggies) gobbled it up and called it delicious! Definitely a WIN for this mama.
Mallory
Our new family favorite go to dinner!!
Shannon
This is my absolute favor way to eat spaghetti squash now, it’s so yummy and satisfying. It’s easy and delicious. Make it, you too will have a new favorite.
Shannon
Seriously amazing. I’m putting this in my rotation for go-to meals. I used way more garlic because that’s how we roll. Also decided to throw this in a casserole dish instead for easy leftovers. Not as beautiful a presentation- but holy moly this was the bomb!
Jenn
Yesssss! The more garlic the better (I’m totally team use the whole darn thing sometimes, haha!) I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe, Shannon. Thank you!
Anita Voluntad
Made this twice and delicious! The first time, I followed the recipe except to use half and half instead of heavy cream. The second time, I used half and half and added a box of sliced shiitake mushrooms before adding the spinach. So good if you like mushrooms! Thank you so much for the recipe. I love your site!
Jamie
ITS SO GOOD. Husband went back for seconds, so that’s a good sign 🙂 I added chicken and skipped the baking because it was late. Delicious!
KimS
Really, really good! I used what I had—neufatchel (low-fat cream cheese), a mixture of half and half and Greek yogurt. Still nich rich flavor. A great complement to the spaghetti squash!!
Rachel Levitt
Made these last night and they were awesome! I doubled the recipe so there could be leftovers (interestingly enough, it still takes about 45 minutes to cook two squashes instead of 1). I added some chopped rotisserie chicken during the final bake. The sauce was great, kind of like an Alfredo. I think next time I’ll cut down on the heavy cream though; it was quite rich. My husband and I loved it, the toddler liked the cheese melted on top so I’ll call that a win too 🙂
Jenn
I’m so glad the recipe was a hit, Rachel! The sauce def has that Alfredo vibe to it and I think you should be able to cut some of the cream out and still have excellent results. The consistency will be a little different so keep an eye on the sauce and adjust where needed. Sometimes I just add loads of extra baby spinach and call it a day lol.
Susan
Can this be made with packaged frozen squash? If so, how many ounces?
Jenn
Hi Susan! Does spaghetti squash come packaged and frozen (I haven’t seen it yet but that’s probably bc I run through the grocery store so fast these days lol) or are you planning on using a different variety of squash? For this recipe I’ve only made it fresh and love the nutty flavor from the freshly roasted squash.
Genevieve
This is an awesome recipe! Honestly, you need to try it! Delicious! Thank you!
Jenn
I’m so stoked you’re loving it Genevieve, thank you!
Mayme
Made this tonight. It was delicious. I would definitely double the sauce, because if you have a larger squash, you need more sauce for it. I gave half to my neighbor and she shared it with her husband and kids and everyone their loved it as well. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Jenn
Great tip, Mayme! You can absolutely double the sauce for larger squash and in the event you make too much sauce, it’s AMAZING drizzled over a baked potato or swirled into pasta. xoxo
Brittney
Love this recipe, but instead of spinach, I use broccoli! Kids love it!
Jenn
Such a fun swap! I love broccoli with spaghetti squash!
Melissa
I doubled the sauce because it’s that good!! Will surely make again and again. I ended up cracking my squash as I cut it so after the squash baked, I shredded it into a casserole dish and added the sauce and cheeses on top and baked 30 minutes more. Everyone loved it!
Jenn
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Melissa! xoxo
Carly
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! My dad even liked it and he does not like cream cheese!
Made some changes just because of what I had on hand:
1. Added mushrooms at the time of spinach.
2. Used 2% milk – just added until it was the thickness I liked.
3. Herb and Garlic Cream cheese instead of regular – very good!
4. Premade the spaghetti squash, forked it, and stored it in the fridge, in a colander, to allow the water to drain overnight. Next day, prepared the rest and then placed the mixture with squash in a pyrex pan in the oven for the recommended 20 mins at 350F. Turned out just as good as when I made it within the squash halves as per recipe (I have made the recipe twice also far).
G Veches
Made for dinner tonite. Used kale instead of spinach. I thought it, was quite good! Would have liked a bit more sauce, will adjust next time. Great veggie dish. Thanks!
Jenn
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Sometimes I get naughty and completely double the sauce recipe so I have extra for the squash and then some to drizzle some on baked potatoes the next day – SO GOOD!
Danielle Sherman
LOVE this recipe!! I used light cream and no cream cheese and it was still heavenly. A new staple in my house!!!
Rita
Never had spaghetti squash before. Never knew what I was missing!! My husband loved it! Definitely a keeper.
Jenn
Yay!!!! Thank you Rita!
Colleen
Made this and loved it!
Planning to make it again – but what can I add as a side dish??
Spinach salad – it already has spinach!
Caprese – it already has mozzarella, and that’s a lot of cheese (although, I like cheese)
Other vegetables – it is a vegetable…
I’m truly stumped, or very not creative!
Jenn
So glad you’re loving the recipe, Colleen! Woot! I may win award for most boring side ever but I adore roasting up a tray of seasoned broccoli (salt, pepper, and a little avocado oil drizzle) to serve as a side with this. It makes me feel extra healthy haha. You could also do roasted carrots or fresh baby carrots and dip. A plain green side salad with spring mix or romaine, shredded carrots, halved cherry tomatoes and your favorite dressing would be great too! Hope this helps. xoxo
Sue
Added sauteed mushrooms and raw shrimp. Used onion and chive cream cheese. Baked for 20 minutes, then topped with panko, remaining parmesan and butter, baked additional 10 minutes, then broiled to brown topping. Delicious!!
Julie
This is one of our favorite recipes that is on a regular rotation for our dinners! So delicious! (We always add the cream cheese- it’s so good!)
Brittany
This was sooooo good! Such a nice blend of the garlic, cheese, and spinach. I am def making again!
Amanda
This recipe turned out AMAZING!
Reyna
I love this recipe! I really like to load it up with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken, and crushed red peppers! I have found my one true love! Thank you for introducing me to spaghetti squash!!!
jessica chiang
delicious!
I scooped out the spaghetti squash and put it in a casserole dish; mixed it with the spinach cream sauce and put pieces of prosciutto on top and topped it with cheese, as instructed.
Thank you for the recipe. it was great!!
Cortney
I love this!
Lori
I have always wanted to try spaghetti squash but figured I’d hate it. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This was BEYOND yummy!!! So delicious even my picky vegetarian was excited!!! I added sausage to mine crumbled and browned. This was AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much!!!!
Jenn
I’m super stoked you enjoyed it Lori!
Melissa
Delicious! Made exactly as directed. My family is addicted. This recipe is a keeper.
Kim R
This was so delicious! I substituted Greek Yogurt for the heavy cream which also added 17 grams of protein. I didn’t have fresh Parmesan cheese so I added Cotija Cheese instead. I also added 2 TBS of Nutritional Yeast for more flavor and protein. Thanks for a great recipe. This is a keeper!
Jeanie Bone
This was one of the best recipes ever! I really didn’t expect it to be so delicious. I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I didn’t use garlic but instead used garlic infused oil.
Jenn
That garlic infused oil sounds delightful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Jeanie – thank you!
Claire
Very good…..I added peas, mushrooms, and diced chicken and had a one pot meal. I also put it into a casserole dish and reheated it that way. This recipe is a keeper!
Jennifer
Made this last night and it was Ah-maz-zing!!!!! Definitely a keeper!!
Leigh
Can this be made ahead of time and/or instead of boats use a casserole dish?
Jenn
Hi Leigh! Yes absolutely! The squash soaks up some of the sauce if you want to make a little extra to compensate but either way it’s super yummy! xo
Lois
OMG! This is one of my go to dinners! I make it at least twice a month! It’s so good! And I have leftovers for lunch the next day!
Jenn
The leftovers make me so giddy, haha! Thank you Lois!
Jul Eschrich
Oh my gosh this was so good!!! My husband has to eat meat, so I added a salmon fillet on top of the sauce with a little olive oil and fresh lemon. Then added the final cheese toppings. The salmon came out cooked perfectly and was so flavorful and moist. I did not have any fresh spinach, so I used a half package of frozen well drained spinach. Thanks for the great recipe it is a keeper in our house!
Brenda
This was so good, I even added shrimp & scallops to it.
Thank you
Sally
This was amazing! My husband, who normally doesn’t like spaghetti squash, loved it and has asked me to make it again.
Thank you for sharing!
Alicia Rogers
Yum! I switched it up a little bit. I added broccoli instead of spinach ( didn’t have spinach on hand) added a healthy dash of ground red pepper in the cheese sauce and I added chicken”bacon”. So good!!
Dana Murphy
And my husband AND children like meat so I actually cooked up some Italian sausage and put in in the sauce/stuffing…..??
Dana Murphy
Love Love Love!!!!! My squash skin turned out a little browner than the one in your pic but OMG!!! I seriously don’t think it could get any better!! And I’m pretty sure that anyone that hasn’t tried (or won’t try) spaghetti squash would fall in love…. Jared to mess up and I made this for dinner tonight and actually worked way later than I expected so didn’t think we would actually get to eat it tonight but …??????
Karen
Absolutely delicious! Even my picky husband enjoyed.
Jenn
Woot! Thanks Karen!
Alex
SO GOOD! I made this for my husband and I after we got a couple fresh spaghetti squash from the local pumpkin patch, and it was absolutely amazing! I did add some cubed chicken strips to get the extra protein. I also used a whole, 9oz bag of spinach because I too hate to leave bags partially used 😀 We got two spaghetti squash and my husband said tonight he wouldn’t be mad if I made this again with the other one, I’d consider that a success! Thank you for the great recipe, it’s a keeper!
Jenn
Yay!!! Loving the extra spinach and protein added and I’m so stoked y’all enjoyed it. Thanks Alex!
Trisha
This is so delicious and easy to make. I added sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil to mine and it was amazing. Thank you for the recipe!
Donna
Delicious!
BK
What could be used in place of heavy cream? Could I use Swiss chard in place of spinach?
Jenn
Hi BK! Some readers have used everything from whole milk (will yield a thin sauce) to cashew cream and loved the results. Swiss chard has a pretty distinct flavor so I’m not sure if it would overpower the flavors here? Maybe serve it up as a healthy sautéed side dish? Happy experimenting! xo
Mary
I eliminated all dairy products and replaced with cashew cream flavored with nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder. Delicious. All done in air fryer.
Tiffany Adams
The recipe was easy to follow and turned out very delicious! I added sun dried tomatoes cause my family loves them but I definitely would make this again
Juiie Letz
Has anyone tried to freeze this?
Rebecca
I have frozen this and it comes out great! I just let it thaw in the frig then reheat in the microwave or the oven.
Rebecca
I give it 5 stars!
Jenn
Thanks Rebecca!
Q
My 10 year old loved it! He asked for mushrooms on the side too!
Julia
The best spaghetti squash recipe I have ever made!!
Shayna
What’s the best way to store leftovers? How long will it keep in fridge? Thanks!
Jenn
Hi Shayna! I like to scoop it all out and add it to an airtight/lidded storage container, then reheat when desired within 3-4 days. You can eve bake the leftovers up casserole style and add extras like chopped tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, or even sautéed/grilled shrimp (depending on dietary preference of course!).
Connie
This was so delicious. I am doing Keto so added cream cheese and scrapped out cooked squash shells and baked in a casserole dish. Family loved it!! Thank you.
Chris
Wowee! This was simply amazing! I didn’t have regular cream cheese, so I used our onion and chive floavored. Was divine! A keeper!
Kendra Bakke
It’s this recipe gluten free?
Jenn
Totally!
Cailee
This is SO tasty! I pre-assembled everything ahead of time, stuck it in the fridge (in an oven-safe container) overnight, and then popped it in the oven the next day. PERFECT and surprisingly filling!
I also used the sauce recipe to make a creamy spinach chicken pasta dish. Super good! 10/10 would recommend to a friend and my family loved it!
Thanks!
Jenn
So super stoked to hear it Cailee – thank you!! xo
Katelyn
I’m really struggling I guess haha. I made this and added chicken and mushrooms! But I had issues with my spaghetti squash and I need help! I think I may have over cooked it. It was a small one but the texture was just mushy and very watery inside. This then changed the texture of the whole mix and made it just all mushy and soggy. I really want this to work because it seemed great other than that! I would love any advice!!
Jenn
Hey Katelyn! It sounds like the little fellah got overcooked. When you run a fork along the inside of the squash it should separate into noodles. Undercooked squash will yield squeaky, harder strands while overcooked squash will be mushy and watery. Smaller spaghetti squash can finish roasting in as little as 30 minutes (or possibly quicker if it’s itty bitty – I’ve noticed tiny ones available at my local store lately!) while larger ones will take a longer cook time. Let me know if I can help at all with any other tips! I’m here if ya need me! xo
Amanda
Just made this. Added lots of extra spinach and gorgonzola cheese cheese for a bit of a bolder flavor. No cream. So yummy. Keeping this
Laura S
Omg this is delish!!! Added some grilled chicken and poured the mix into a casserole dish and then baked it for the 20 mins! Yummmmy
Jenn
Perfecto! Thanks Laura!
Amy
I made this and it was DELICIOUS! I added chicken and some sliced mushrooms for a little extra. I had squash already cooked in the fridge, so this made for a very quick meal! I’ll definitely be making this again!
Melissa
Delicious! I threw in some shrimp and it was absolutely perfect. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Jenn
My favorite extra to add to this saucy spaghetti squash – yay! Thank you Melissa!
Cady E.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe! So easy and tasty! I add a bit more spinach and chicken and it is excellent! Highly recommend.
Jessica
Omg this is sooo good! I added some fresh chopped basil and used kale in place of spinach and it was soooo good! Thanks for the recipe!
John Kennedy
Delicious
Quick to make
Very cheesy
Cathy
It was so good. I added shrimp, and it was divine!
Sophie
We love adding some Italian sausage to the sauce! This recipe is one of our favorites!
Behill45
This was excellent!! Made exactly as directed. Will make it again and again. Thanks for sharing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Barb
This is a go-to meal at my house now. I always add chicken, but the flavor is perfect as-written (and I’m usually one who has to add to a recipe to get it to my liking).
I have found scraping the spaghetti squash and mixing it up and baking in 9×9 pan is easier than trying to stuff it all back into the spaghetti squash. It isn’t as pretty, but it’s so much easier, Especially if adding chicken because it won’t fit back into the squash shell.
Sharon
This recipe was amazing! I followed the directions precisely, except I added some fresh shrimp. I sauteed the shrimp in butter, fresh garlic, and cajun seasoning then mixed it into the wonderful cream mixture. This will be a new family favorite. Thank you!
Brandee
Any advise for making ahead of time as I meal prep?
Jenn
Hey Brandee! There are some tips within the post for making the squash in advance and you could also make your sauce/filling in advance and then combine both before reheating! Keeping them both in separate containers is mostly so the squash doesn’t “drink up” the sauce. Hope this helps! xoxo
Tami
So Good!
I think I reduced the cream sauce down a bit too much (habit from a former restaurant chef making alfredo sauce)
I also added chicken to the spinach/sauce.
Beth
I totally understand why this is the most popular recipe. Absolutely delish! I’ve made it a few times now. At first, it seemed like a lot of garlic but the sauce tasted great. I added some sliced mushrooms because I love them with spinach. May I suggest that if you don’t have cream a little extra cream cheese could be added. I mean, when is it a bad thing to add more cream cheese???
Wendy
Best spaghetti squash ever!!!
Tom C
I made this recipe and it was great. What I did differently was after pre-cooking the squash I scraped out the squash strands, mixed it with the spinach and sauce, put it back in the shells and finished baking and broiling
Rachel Schildgen
It it’s possible, this was almost too delicious. Really surprised. Great recipe, which I followed exactly just adding some peas in with the spinach.
Linda Knight
My husband and I both love it! Added a bit of paprika at the end and served with Turkey Apple Sausage to complete the meal.
Stephanie
Made this dish many times and it’s always a hit with ny Husband! The flavors just go well together and the texture of the spaghetti squash off sets the creaminess of the sauce. Very tasty!
Melody
Absolutely delicious!!
Cathy
Loved it and so easy I put it in a casserole with chicken, it worked out awesome
Debbie
What could I use in place of cream?
Jenn
Hi Debbie! Any dietary restrictions? I’ve had a few readers make swaps with success. The result will usually be a thinner sauce but still a tasty one!
Debbie
No just didn’t have cream on hand. I hAve whole milk or sour cream. But if its better with cream I will try it like that sounds really good