Author: Wondering can you freeze spaghetti squash? The answer is yes! This is the simple recipe for freezing a delicious spaghetti squash casserole that your family will love!
Try this delicious recipe for spaghetti squash casserole that’s packed with beef and totally cheesy! A wonderful dinner recipe for a keto, low carb, or GAPS meal. Naturally gluten free, and freezes really well for baking later on! Try this squash casserole recipe today!
Spaghetti squash is one of the things that my garden loves to overproduce! So, when faced with a literal wheelbarrow full of fresh spaghetti squash, I decided I better figure out if it could be frozen and start freezing spaghetti squash!
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve seen the crazy high garden yields that we’ve been getting from our Back to Eden garden this year.
That’s included everything from green beans, to tomatoes, to beets… and everything in between!
Part of that abundance saw me with over 100 LARGE spaghetti squash that needed to be processed, since I don’t have a cold room yet, and Texas heat wouldn’t let me leave them on the porch!
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to can them, I turned to my only other alternative; freezing.
Armed with our family favorite spaghetti squash casserole recipe and some tin freezer pans, I tested how well the recipe would freeze.
Much to our delight it froze and reheated perfectly!!
I ended up making 6 gallons of meat sauce and filling tin freezer pans until I ran out of sauce… then I froze the remaining cooked spaghetti squash plain in 2 cup increments for use in fritters, hash browns, and breads later on!
Check out this amazingness!! I love a full freezer, especially when it all came from my garden!
How to Freeze Spaghetti Squash
If you’ve been blessed with an abundance of spaghetti squash this year, whether that’s 5 or 50, this is the simple recipe for freezing spaghetti squash that you need to know!
Step 1:
Cook your spaghetti squash. Cut off the ends, and cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
Step 2:
Scoop out the seeds and loose pulp, place cut side down on baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes at 350°.
NOTE: This will leave the “noodles” fairly al dente. You want this because the squash will go through a second heating after being frozen and you don’t want it to be mushy after the final heating!
Step 3:
Remove from oven and scrap out the “noodles” with a fork.
Step 4:
At this point you can freeze the plain noodles for use later on. I like to freeze them in 2 cup increments in snack baggies, pressed and frozen flat for easy storage!
You can use these plain noodles in stir fry, breads, and more!
Or you can set them aside to assemble into your freezer casseroles!
Freezer Ready Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Here’s how we make our delicious spaghetti squash casserole for an easy low-carb, keto, and GAPS friendly dinner!
You can make it fresh and eat it right away, or you can make it in bulk and freeze it for later!
Step 1:
Cook and prep you spaghetti squash as listed above.
Step 2:
Make your favorite spaghetti sauce and add your favorite meat to it. I’ve included my favorite simple recipe below.
Step 3:
Using tin freezer containers, fill the container 3/4 of the way full with spaghetti squash strands. You can pack them in pretty tightly for a more dense (and more filling) casserole.
Fill the rest of the way with meat sauce. Leave cheese off until the final 10 minutes of the baking process when ready to eat. If you add it before the casserole gets really mushy.
NOTE: I have updated my process since the original recipe was published. Now we mix the meat and noodles together to get a more even ratio after baking!
Step 4:
Freeze for however long you’d like. Most would recommend 6 months, but I’ve eaten similar dishes to this after a year and it was perfect still ;-)
Step 5:
Once you’re ready to bake, remove paper lid from tin freezer container, and bake for 45 minutes at 350°, or until center is warm (times may vary).
Top with cheese during final 10 minutes of baking. Serve and enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- Spaghetti Squash
- Tomato Paste
- Water
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Ground Meat browned (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, whatever you want)
- Tin Freezer Pans with Paper Lids
- Note: Quantities will vary based on how many spaghetti squash you have.
Instructions
Cook spaghetti squash
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cut ends off spaghetti squash, then cut in half lengthwise.
- Using a spoon, scoop/scrap out loose pulp and seeds. Discard to the compost pile, or to your animals.
- Place cut side on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes.
- Shred and remove "noodles" with a fork. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Make your sauce
- Using a 1:2 ratio of tomato paste to water, mix up sauce base (i.e. 1 cup paste, 2 cups water).
- Season to taste and bring to a low simmer.
- Add browned meat of your choice to the simmering sauce.
Combine
- Add sauce to the noodle bowl until you have the desired ratio.
- Fill tins about 3/4 full to avoid leakage when stacked in the freezer.
- Place paper lid with shiny side up and press gently to condense.
- Crimp edges securely and freeze up to 1 year.
When ready to bake
- Remove lid and place in oven at 350° until center is warm, about 45 minutes.
- Top with grated cheese for last 10 minutes of baking time, if desired.
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