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One of the markers of fall is all the fresh squash everywhere, and spaghetti squash is the best kind for so many reasons. It simply more versatile than any of the varieties out there, because it can replace pasta so effortlessly. It can take on any flavors you like, making the possibilities with it just endless. You can even twirl it around your fork like spaghetti, hence the name. It truly is my favorite kind of squash. And, spaghetti squash carbonara is my favorite way to make it.
If you haven’t made low carb spaghetti squash to replace pasta before, it’s actually much simpler than it looks. The most challenging part is cutting it open, since the skin is very hard prior to cooking. A sharp knife is crucial here!
Otherwise, don’t be put off by how long spaghetti squash takes to cook in the oven. The time is all hands off! If you’ve got a busy evening with other things to do besides cooking dinner (um, who doesn’t?), spaghetti squash is a great option. You can pop it in there and go do something else while it cooks. I first learned to do it from The Kitchn, though I’ve since tweaked the method to use a lower oven temperature because I found it cooks more evenly that way. Once enough time has passed – usually about 35 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees with my method – it’s all a breeze from there. Use a fork to pull out the spaghetti-like strands, and at this point it’s a blank canvas for any pasta dish you want to make low carb.
At the moment, that’s spaghetti squash carbonara at our house.
This creamy bacon spaghetti squash carbonara recipe is savory enough to work equally well as a main dish or a side dish. You can even throw some chicken in there for additional protein if you’re so inclined. Although it’s gluten-free, grain-free, and low carb, it doesn’t taste that way at all. If you’re looking for a satisfying dinner, trust me – this is the one.
My first attempt at making the carbonara sauce involved simmering, which ended up scrambling the egg. What a disaster, needless to say. Don’t make my mistake! This time, I let the heat of the squash noodles thicken the sauce, which turned out much better.
Now it’s all smooth, creamy, and everything a carbonara dish should be – except without all the carbs. Yes, I’ll be making this spaghetti squash carbonara again and again…
Tools To Make Keto Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
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- Baking Sheet – I always choose this baking sheet whenever a recipe calls for one.
- Skillet – This nonstick skillet set has two sizes to choose from. Perfect for making this low carb dinner recipe.
- Whisk – This is a great whisk to add to your collection of kitchen utensils.
Healthy Low Carb Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Recipe
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Low Carb Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Recipe
This low carb spaghetti squash carbonara recipe features a creamy, decadent bacon carbonara sauce. Gluten-free, with only 9 ingredients & 11 grams carbs!
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (191 degrees C). Slice the spaghetti squash in half length-wise. Remove the seeds. Place in a lined baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the skin.
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Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic and bacon bits, until the bacon is sizzling (about 2-3 minutes).
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Add green peas. If the peas were raw, saute for 3-5 more minutes, until peas are bright green. (If adding pre-cooked or canned peas, you can proceed to the next step right away.) Remove from heat.
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Whisk heavy cream, eggs, and parmesan cheese in a bowl.
- When the spaghetti squash is done baking, use a fork to pull out the "noodles". While they are still hot, stir in the egg parmesan mixture, then add the bacon mixture. Season with sea salt to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
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75 Comments
Judy Wickmann
Can you make this dish ahead, then heat in the oven when time to serve?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Judy, The dish is best if you eat it right after cooking. But, A quick saute in butter or microwaving with a pat of butter in short, 15-second increments are also 2 ways to reheat.
Zoey Knight
Is it safe to eat with an uncooked egg yolk? (Just worried about salmonella poisoning.)
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Zoey, The heat from the squash will cook the sauce.
Amber
Will this work with freshly shredded parmesan cheese? I don’t usually buy the canned grated parm.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Amber, Yes, fresh parmesan will work.
Pam
I wish you would give some of your ingredients by weight. Some of your recipes call for medium spaghetti squash and some call for large spaghetti squash. What’s the difference?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Pam, A medium spaghetti squash would weigh 4-5lbs and a large spaghetti squash would weigh 6-8lbs.
Nesja Krigbaum
I made this the other night and it was delicious and creamy! So easy to make and my significant other didn’t turn up his nose. He ate the whole thing! ❤️
Linda
How do you get 6 servings from one squash? Dividing each half into 3 would never work! Too good!
Heather Hawk
I have not made this recipe yet. I do not like peas. What other vegetable can I use instead of peas? Can I use green onions or peppers?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Heather, Yes, either of those options will work well.
Deborah
I find spaghetti squash much easier to deal with if I microwave it a bit first.
Just stab it a couple of times with a meat fork or skewer to let steam out, and microwave it 5 minutes, turning over half way through.
This makes it MUCH easier to cut in half. Also easier to cut lengthwise if you slice off the heavy stem at the end. It’s very tough to slice through.
Then I remove the seeds and bake.
Looking forward to making this yummy sounding recipe tonight.
Teresa E Briones
I baked the spaghetti squash the night before to save some time. Do you have any suggestions on how to reheat the squash prior to adding it to the sauce?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Teresa, A quick saute in butter will work nicely. You can also try microwaving with a pat of butter in short, 15-second increments.
Keith Wetherhold
Tried this tonight, with a little accidental variation(s); I had actually cooked a pack of real bacon and chopped it up. unfortunately, I got sidetracked by the dogs due to a severe thunderstorm rolling through, and burned it along with the minced garlic in the olive oil! I also used grated parm in the container, like you put on pasta, not shredded parm; THEN I watched the video and saw you used imitation bacon bits, which, thankfully we had, so the evening was saved, because ‘everything is better with bacon!!’ One intentional change we made was instead of peas, I diced up onion and green pepper from our son’s garden (picked this morning) – that really made it for us. Oh, and I also added a portion of hot sausage (before I watched the video; I needed some sort of meat in it after I had my heart set on the bacon!). It turned out a LOT better than I anticipated after the comedy of errors. I would definitely make this again.
Janet Harvey
Hello Maya, again, I can’t thank you enough for all your work put into developing the tastiest but simple recipes I have come across with keto and I am writing today because, I am so glad I purchased the meal plan app, it is just fantastic and so flexible and making full use of your recipes, but being able to change around the meal plan is unreal, it is the first time I have seen anyone come up with such a wonderful, wonderful meal plan, before, meal plans were fixed and the work you have put into developing the app has I can tell you sure being worthwhile. Your amazing, I just can’t believe the huge range of tasty, simple recipes you have put together, so much choice, but its the combination of ingredients that is just superb. Congratulations Maya, the app is just brilliant, you are so talented. The only thing I have found is, it would be good to be not just able to print the whole meal plan, but instead of having to go back to the main website, be able to print individual recipes from the app page. I just love your meal plan app, it is just brilliant and fantastic and so flexible, its the flexibility that you can custom it to your own meals that I find an amazing bonus, along with all the great features of the app. cheers, Janet P.S. Can’t wait to cook spaghetti squash carbonara tonight!! Looks so yummy!
Ann Stillabower
It definitely needs some meat, I’ll add chicken next time. I love the low carb and it’s tasty! Needs more sauce IMO.
Myra Crandall
This is VERY yum!!
Swaps I made:
– Cooked my own bacon
– 2 egg yolk instead of 1 whole egg.
Seriously packed full of so much flavor, highly recommend a try!
Sue Brown
I made this today and it came out amazing! Thank you!
Rachel Di Fonzo
I don’t love spaghetti squash but I made this tonight and it was delicious. My family who tried it loved it too and will make it even though they are not eating low carb.
Brittany
I love carbonara and squash, so I totally loved this meal. I had one problem, mine was super watery. Not sure if it’s because I didn’t drain the bacon grease or what. Got any advice?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Brittany, Yes, you should drain off at least most of the bacon grease. That’s how you will get the best texture for this recipe.
Pat Malbrough
In the movie, Almond milk was added, but not mentioned in the printed recipe. What is the advantage of adding Almond milk?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Pat, The almond milk thins the carbonara sauce. It was later removed from the recipe because it wasn’t really a necessary step. I suggest making it without the almond milk and see how you like it.
Christina
I added mushrooms to mine because I love them. I also did not have the correct cheese so I used 1/2 cup ricotta instead. This was my first try at spaghetti squash and I loved it!
Karen Talbott
This is an easy recipe to make. I skipped the peas since we did not have any. I will be making this recipe again.
Dani Anderson
Made this for din din tonight. It was very yummy hit that starchy comfort food craving without all the carbs. I did a couple tweaks, I didn’t have Parmesan so I used what I had and put a cup of sharp white cheddar in the sauce. I also used bacon bits because I’m a vegetarian. And my squash was HUGE so I used about half of it. After mixing everything together I stuffed it back in one of the half shells of the squash topped it with more chees and Italian nut crumbs ( in place of bread crumbs) threw it back in the oven for a few and got a good crust on it. Will make this again
Melissa
That sounds scrumptious!
Barbi R.
I just have a question … I notice that the recipe serves 6 .. so each 1/2 of the squash serves 3 so about a 1/2 cup perserving? What if its a small spaghetti squash? Also can this recipe be done with spiralized butternut squash or zucchini squash?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Barbi, Serving size is approximately 1 1/2 cups. If you use a small spaghetti squash, you could probably cut the servings down to 4.
Angel Galindo
Can this be frozen for later?
Wholesome Yum
Hi Angel, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Suzanne
I’ve always had trouble cutting open a raw spaghetti squash, so usually I just poke some holes with a fork then microwave it for about 10 minutes. Let cool (it’s very hot to handle!), then easily cut open and see how soft it is. Sometimes it’s already done at that point (depends on the size) and sometimes I put the halves back in for awhile longer. Then prep as usual. Super easy! Haven’t tried this receipt yet but I’m looking forward to it!
Charlotte
Every time I cook spaghetti squash the sauce gets super watery from the squash releasing more of it’s moisture as I mix. Should I train the squash and re-heat before mixing with sauces?
Wholesome Yum
You could definitely do that, Charlotte!
Mike
This was delicious, I cut up 4 pieces of real bacon and cooked it up, instead of using pre made bacon bits, to avoid all the preservatives.
Kayla Rule
This dish is absolutely delicious!! We went keto a few months ago and I was getting burnt out on the veggies we were eating. We dont usually eat spaghetti squash so I was hesitant on this recipe. We took a chance on this recipe and ohhh man I’m glad we did. Even my 8 year old was eating it up!!!
Ramonita V Latchison
Do I use egg white or regular egg?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Ramonita, It’s the whole egg.
JoAnn Hughes
I’m planning on making this for our small group soon and was wondering if after cooking I could put it in my crock pot on warm, without messing up the egg. Thanks! Looks wonderful!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi JoAnn, I haven’t tried that. I think it will depend on how hot your Crock Pot gets, which can vary by model. I’d recommend the “Warm” setting (as opposed to Low or High). Hope that works for you!
Pamela
Can it be frozen?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Pamela, No, sorry, carbonara sauce does not freeze well.
Carol Jones
YummY!! This was so good. I did add a little more heavy cream and substituted regular milk for almond milk. I reserved 1/4 of the spaghetti squash because there was just three of us and it may have been a little short on the sauce if I used the whole squash but I guess it just depends on the size of the squash. I will definitely make it again!
Nicole Connell
This was delicious! So easy, and incredibly yummy. My 15 year old son even loved it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Nicole! Thank you!
Danielle
Hi Maya, my boyfriend and I are currently living long distance and have been cooking your Keto recipes together at least 1-2 times a week for months over FaceTime. We made this tonight and we were blown away! We did substitute the almond milk for heavy cream and it was awesome. Your recipes are a game changer, but this one legitimately floored us! THANK YOU!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Danielle! That really means a lot to help you both! I’m so glad you enjoyed this and the other recipes.
Jennifer Cates
Thank you so much – I LOVE reading your comments
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!
Leigh Ann Ciesielski
Well..this sounds awesome! I would like to know however, how much a serving size is..so I can count my carbs and know how much I can eat! (:
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Leigh Ann! There are 6 servings so 1 serving would be 1/6 of the squash, including all fillings. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by!
Kristen
Is the egg cooked or do I mix it with the squash raw? Will it cook during mixing because the squash is still hot, straight out of the oven?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kristen, The egg is raw. Yes, the heat of the squash “cooks” the sauce.
Donna
This is absolutely wonderful. I recently took the plunge in eating healthier – fewer carbs and more fruits and veg. Ever since I’ve been searching for options that I can select from as I’ve been eating a lot of squash of late.
I usually do a steam veg variety with diced squash and sometimes grilled. However, I am getting a bit tired of that so I will definitely be trying this recipe. Thanks a great bunch.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Donna! Hope you like it!
Donna
Yes, I’ll definitely try to remember to check back and provide an update after trying it.
Thanks.
TLA
How do you cook the eggs?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hello! The heat from the baked spaghetti squash cooks the egg as you mix it in.
Anna
Um, WOW. Thank you, thank you, thank you for satisfying my pasta craving! This was delicious and so simple. The only thing I did differently was leave out the peas and I used 8 pieces of bacon crumbled up. I kind of wish I would’ve used more bacon though! (Love bacon.)
Anyway, I highly recommend this recipe. It totally satisfied the pasta and creamy cravings!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Anna!
Lori
Looks yummy! What’s the reason for the almond milk? Can you make this without?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Lori! Sometimes I use a mix of almond milk and heavy cream to lighten up cream sauces. You can use all heavy cream instead if you want to.
Kristy Kittelson
I’m answering myself. Just noticed the GARLIC!! Oh gee. Ha!
Kristy Kittelson
How do you use the cloves in this recipe? I’m not seeing it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Looks like you found the answer already, but just to clarify it’s 4 cloves of garlic. 🙂
Scott Groth
This recipe looks delicious! AND it’s low-carb and gluten free… must try!
Katrin
I have never tried spaghetti squash, and it has been on my list for such a long time. Will definitely try now – such yummy looking photos!
STACEY
I love spaghetti carbonara. I poke holes in the squash and bake it whole for 20 to 30 mins, then it cuts open like butter.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
This is a great alternative if cutting it up-front is a challenge. I’ve found that sometimes it doesn’t cook as evenly when baked whole, but it definitely does still work!
Tasha
Whenever I make spaghetti squash, I use a pressure cooker and it’s done in 10 minutes flat! Saves a lot of time when you’re in a pinch to get something on the table. 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I need to try this a few more times (I haven’t had my pressure cooker for very long). When I tried it, the actual cook time was very fast but it still took a while for the pressure to build at the beginning and then to vent at the end, so the total time wasn’t as quick as I had hoped.
Kim | Low Carb Maven
Spaghetti squash is such a great lower carb pasta stand in. Pasta carbonara was something my husband used to enjoy in our pre-low carb days. So glad to see we can enjoy it again.
Georgina
LOVE spaghetti squash. LOVE carbonara. Will definitely try this!