Baked Spaghetti Squash with Zucchini, Corn, and Bacon

Baked Spaghetti Squash Halves (two) with Zucchini, Corn, Bacon, and Cheese mixture - on a white platter.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Zucchini, Corn, and Bacon

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Zucchini, Corn, and Bacon is a tasty Fall dinner you will want to make again and again! This comfort food recipe is gluten-free and packed with veggies. It will make a great addition to the holiday menu (Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baked spaghetti squash, stuffed spaghetti squash

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 699kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Spaghetti squash

2 spaghetti squash medium size
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Veggies

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 zucchini medium, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups corn kernels cooked (4 corn ears - corn on the cob)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or more
½ teaspoon chili powder or more
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Cheese mixture

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
6 strips bacon cooked and chopped

Garnish

fresh thyme
fresh rosemary

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

How to bake spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut each squash in 2 halves, scrape out the seeds and the fiber out of each half. You will have 4 halves.
(Note: before cutting each squash, you can microwave it. In this case, make large slits with a knife in a spaghetti squash along the line where you will slice it in half. Then, microwave the whole squash for about 5 or 10 minutes to soften it a bit. Then cut each squash in half.)
Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides and inside of the squash. Generously season with salt and pepper.
Place the 4 squash halves on the prepared baking sheet cut side down.
Bake for about 30 or 40 minutes on the middle rack. Remove it from the oven when it's cooked through and soft. You can check by pulling the baking sheet out of the oven and piercing the squash with the fork - it should be soft.
Proceed with the rest of the recipe while the squash is in the oven.

Prepare the veggie mixture

Heat an empty large, high-sided cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and sliced zucchini. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Flip the veggies once.
Add cooked corn kernels. Season with smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt.
Mix everything well. Remove from heat.

Make a cheese mixture

Add cream cheese to a microwave-safe large-sized bowl. Soften cream cheese briefly in the microwave oven. Make sure the cheese does not actually melt, just softens.
Add shredded Parmesan, half of the cooked zucchini and corn mixture, and half of the chopped cooked bacon to the same bowl with cheese. Mix everything well.
Tip: Reserve the remaining half of the bacon and the veggie mixture to arrange on top of the cheese mixture.

How to stuff spaghetti squash

By this time, you have baked the spaghetti squash for 30 or 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
Let it cool slightly.
Divide the cheese mixture (with zucchini, corn, and bacon mixed in) among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled.
Top each stuffed spaghetti squash half with the remaining cooked zucchini, corn, and chopped bacon.
Return stuffed spaghetti squash to the preheated oven and roast at 400 F for 15 more minutes until the cheese mixture melts.
Remove the baked spaghetti squash from the oven.
Sprinkle chili powder on top. Add fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme). Serve.

Nutrition