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By Sophie Van Tiggelen 19 Comments

AIP / Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Ground Beef & Tomato-less Sauce

Baked spaghetti squash casserole tomato-less sauce paleo recipeThis baked spaghetti squash casserole is a wonderful single-dish meal that you can make ahead and freeze!  Really easy to prepare even for beginning cooks, this spaghetti squash casserole is a classic comfort food packed with nutrient-dense vegetables, ground meat and a succulent nightshade-free “tomato-less” sauce.  I know, the sauce really looks like the real thing, but let me assure you that it is made out of ingredients 100% compliant with the autoimmune protocol.  I even fooled my teenage daughters with this one. hehe.

Paleo Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole
There is a little bit of preparation involved in this recipe since you will need 4 cups of spaghetti squash noodles.  If you haven’t baked spaghetti squash before, I have scouted a few tutorials for you to choose from.

Here is the method I personally use for baking a spaghetti squash in the oven.

I also love this method from Martha Stewart because there is no difficult cutting process involved, although the cooking time is longer (1 hour and 20 minutes).  You place the whole thing in the oven and voilà!  I use this technique when I am flaring up and my wrists are screaming at me.

If you are more a video type of person, watch this short tutorial by Susannah Chen; she makes it look real easy and I particularly like the jazzy background music!

Author’s notes:

The recipe below will yield 8 portions.  You can either save the leftovers for later or freeze them.  I am using a big rectangular baking dish (11″ x 15″) but you may use smaller ones if you are batch cooking.  Small aluminum loaf pans are also a good options, especially if you want to divide this casserole in multiple meals.

AIP / Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Ground Beef & Tomato-less Sauce
 
Print
Prep time
25 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
45 mins
 
This recipe is 100% compliant with the autoimmune protocol diet.
Author: Sophie
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Autoimmune Protocol - AIP
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 4 cups of spaghetti squash noodles cooked "al dente" (=1 medium spaghetti squash)
  • 1 lb ground beef (or any other ground meat)
  • 2 TBSP coconut oil
  • 2 TSP salt
  • 1 cup 1/2 onions, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
  • 3 TSP herbes de Provence
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 small cans mushrooms, drained (4 oz - 113 g)

  • For the "tomato-less"sauce:
  • 1 can of butternut squash puree (or 1 cup 3/4 of homemade mashed butternut squash)
  • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
  • 3 TSP salt
  • 1/2 cup cooked beets, diced
  • 3 TBSP gelatin (Great Lakes, red can)
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 TBSP of coconut oil, ground beef, and 1 TSP of salt. Cook until there is no more pink showing in the meat (about 8 minutes). Save the meat in a large bowl on the side.
  2. Using the same pan, place once again over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP of coconut oil, diced onions, carrots, garlic, herbes de provence and water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Add these vegetables to the meat.
  3. In a Vitamix or high speed blender, add butternut squash puree, coconut milk, salt, beets, and gelatin. Mix on high until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Mix together spaghetti squash noodles, meat, onions, carrots, mushrooms and "tomato" sauce.
  5. Pour the preparation in a 11" x 15" baking dish or several smaller dishes.
  6. Reheat the casserole in the oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.
  7. You may also freeze this casserole.
3.2.2807

Baked Spaghetti Squash CasseroleThis baked spaghetti squash casserole recipe has been shared on Fat Tuesday – Real Food Wednesday – Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above may be “affiliate links or Amazon affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Filed Under: AIP Meat recipes Tagged With: autoimmune protocol, beef, casserole, dairy free, gluten free, leftovers, meat, mushrooms, nightshade free, one dish, paleo, spaghetti, spaghetti casserole, spaghetti squash casserole, squash, tomato

About Sophie Van Tiggelen

Sophie Van Tiggelen is a passionate foodie, recipe developer, author, and photographer. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2009, she used the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to reverse her condition, and today, Sophie lives a full and vibrant life free from the anxiety and flare-ups that often accompany autoimmune diseases. With her food and lifestyle blog, A Squirrel in the Kitchen, Sophie shares her AIP experience and empowers others to develop new habits to promote good health and wellness. Through years of experience, she has developed simple strategies to be successful on AIP, including numerous mouth-watering, allergen-free recipes that everyone (even those without autoimmune diseases) can enjoy. Sophie is on a mission to make the Autoimmune Protocol - and all that it encompasses - more accessible and sustainable for anyone looking for a more nutritious, more delicious, more health-conscious life.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim says

    November 20, 2014 at 9:04 am

    Just a couple quick questions…..am trying to eat low FODMAP so what would you suggest flavor wise to replace 1 1/2 cup onions? Would celeriac work or possibly parsnips or rutabaga? Do you drain the mushrooms? And what kind
    of gelatin do you use….red or green can? Thanks so much. This recipe looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      November 20, 2014 at 9:32 am

      Hello Kim!
      Wow these are good questions 🙂
      To replace the onions, you could go with finely chopped celery sticks or as you said shredded parsnips or turnips.
      Yes you have to drain the mushrooms.
      I use the red can of gelatin from Great Lakes.
      Let me know how this recipe turns out for you with the modifications 🙂

      Reply
  2. patti says

    November 26, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    I tried to find great lakes gelatin at Whole Foods and they did not have it. They suggested Guar Gum. Is that a good substitute for the gelatin? I have a No-Mato recipe that is similar but I wanted to try this one. It seems easier than my other one.

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      November 26, 2014 at 3:24 pm

      Hello Patti!

      I never used guar gum but here is an interesting link on how to substitute guar gum for gelatin. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/use-guar-gum-replace-gelatin-5295.html
      It seems that guar gum is more difficult to use because it tends to create clumps 🙁
      I find mine at Vitamin Cottage (Natural Grovers). It is also available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Unflavored-Gelatin-Kosher/dp/B0008D6WBA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417037070&sr=8-2&keywords=great+lakes+gelatin
      I hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. BPG says

    June 3, 2015 at 9:28 am

    What is the lovely green garnish in the photo? Chopped flat-leaf parsley? Could I possibly skip the gelatin? I plan on using ground bison meat due to my daughter’s beef allergy and the gelatin is beef sourced. Its such a shame she is allergic to beef with the gelatin having such wonderful uses for the AIP.

    Reply
    • Sophie says

      June 3, 2015 at 9:41 am

      Yes, it is most probably chopped cilantro or parsley! These are my favorite, go to fresh herbs that I keep on hand in the fridge. As for the gelatin, not all gelatin are beef sourced! Some are from pork 🙂 Even great lakes has pork gelatin. Look it up on amazon.com. You can try to skip the gelatin. The sauce will be a little bit more “runny” (but not much). Good luck 🙂

      Reply
  4. barb. says

    April 5, 2016 at 9:57 am

    Just began an alkaline focused program and am wondering if most of your recipes are applicable
    to such eating – love your site and by accident just found it – thanks so much!b

    Reply
    • Sophie Van Tiggelen says

      April 5, 2016 at 10:22 am

      Hello Barb,

      The AIP diet in general, as well as my recipes are definitely a good fit for an alkaline diet 🙂

      Reply
  5. marie says

    June 26, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    Do you bake the casserole before you freeze it? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sophie Van Tiggelen says

      June 27, 2016 at 9:11 am

      Hello marie,
      Yes, you bake the casserole before freezing. Then thaw slowly and reheat to serve.

      Reply
      • Jdh says

        November 26, 2017 at 5:37 pm

        So if I’m supposed to cook it first, what temp and length? Recipe only has info for reheating.

        Reply
        • Sophie Van Tiggelen says

          November 27, 2017 at 3:06 pm

          Hi there 🙂
          This tutorial will help you: how to cook spaghetti squash in the oven.

          Reply
  6. marie says

    June 27, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    Thanks so much for your prompt response. I made your no nightshade ratatouille and it was absolutely to die for. I doubled the recipe and wish I would have made more.

    You are doing a wonder service for those of us who are living with restrictive eating problems, and we may not tell you often enough but you are very much appreciated. We know the time that goes into perfecting these recipes.

    Reply
    • Sophie Van Tiggelen says

      June 27, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      Hello again Marie 🙂

      I am so glad to learn that you are enjoying my recipes 🙂 A lot of time and work goes into the development of these recipes and it is always so rewarding to hear from people like you! If you could leave a review on Amazon for me to express your appreciation, that would help me so much! Thanks 🙂

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Sophie - welcome to the blog! I am using the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to live well with my autoimmune condition (Hashimoto's). Let me show you how I recovered my health and energy through diet and lifestyle adjustments!

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