How to make a low carb lasagna skillet with spaghetti squash, beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. Throw it together in just 35 minutes, for an easy meal on busy weeknights!
From zucchini noodle lasagna, to these lasagna stuffed portobellos, and this low carb lasagna skillet - there are so many different healthy ways to cook lasagna!
This low carb lasagna skillet replaces the traditional noodles with spaghetti squash for an easy veggie-filled meal! Not only is it easier to assemble than a traditional lasagna recipe, but it is lighter with only 9 grams net carbs per serving.
Reasons you'll love this recipe
- it's packed with all the delicious flavours of a traditional lasagna, and the spaghetti squash works really well as a swap for lasagna noodles
- it's lighter and easier to prepare
- you can prep it ahead and reheat for easy meal prep lunches
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef - you can use ground beef or ground turkey would also work for this recipe.
- Spagetti squash - you will need cooked spaghetti sqush for this recipe. We recommend cooking your spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot for the quickest method, but you can also bake it in the oven.
- Tomato sauce - look for a low carb brand like if you are keto. We reccomend Rao's!
- Cheese - ricotta and mozzarella work well for this recipe. Or, swap mozarella for Monterey jack
Step by step directions
Cook Beef
Heat oven to 425°F. Cook beef over medium heat in a deep 12-inch oven-safe skillet, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until no pink remains - roughly 8 minutes. Use a paper towel to carefully blot up extra grease or fat from the pan.
Note - I used my large & deep 12 ½-inch stainless steel skillet make sure you use a large, oven-safe one!
Combine
Add the cooked spaghetti squash, marinara sauce, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine (tongs make it easier to mix the spaghetti squash in with the sauce/beef). Cook over medium heat for 3 or so minutes, until heated through.
Bake
Dollop the ricotta over the skillet, then sprinkle with cheese. Place the skillet in the heated oven for 5 or so minutes, until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted.
Tip - be sure to strain your ricotta to prevent excess liquid from accumulating in this recipe.
Serve
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Serve with fresh basil.
FAQ
Probably, although we have not tried. If you do try it, we would recommend pre-cooking the noodles, then drain, and then stir them in.
YES! I would swap for an equal volume of spiralized zucchini or butternut squash. You don't need to pre-cook the zucchini noodles as they cook quickly in the sauce, but I would pre-cook the butternut squash noodles by sautéing or lightly steaming before stirring in.
It *may* freeze if you only cook your spaghetti squash to al dente. If I were to freeze this recipe, I would stir together the ingredients, and skip the oven step. Note that spaghetti squash releases liquid after freeze/thawing.
This recipe does get a little bit 'liquidy' as it sits in the fridge. To minimize liquid, strain your ricotta and make sure to strain off any extra liquid from your spaghetti squash. If prepared this way, this spaghetti squash lasagna keeps well and workes great as a meal prep lunch. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, and heat in the microwave until steaming hot.
Serve it with
Spaghetti squash lasagna is really a meal on its own, but you could also serve it with:
- garlic bread (if you are not low carb)
- a simple salad like this staple kale salad
- a salad drizzled in this balsamic vinaigrette or this balsamic reduction
Storage + Reheating
- Fridge - store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer- we have not tried, and can't say with 100% certainty if it will freeze/thaw well.
- Reheat - heat until steaming hot in the microwave and enjoy.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Low Carb Lasagna Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef note 1
- 4 cups spaghetti squash cooked & shredded; note 2
- 1 jar marinara sauce 650 mL/ 22 oz; note 3
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup ricotta drain extra moisture
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- fresh basil to garnish
Instructions
- Cook beef - Heat oven to 425°F. Cook beef over medium heat in a deep 12-inch oven-safe skillet, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until no pink remains - roughly 8 minutes. Use a paper towel to carefully blot up extra grease or fat from the pan.
- Combine - Add the cooked spaghetti squash, marinara sauce, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine (tongs make it easier to mix the spaghetti squash in with the sauce/beef). Cook over medium heat for 3 or so minutes, until heated through.
- Bake - Dollop the ricotta over the skillet, then sprinkle with cheese. Place the skillet in the heated oven for 5 or so minutes, until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted.
- Serve - Using oven mitts, carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Serve with fresh basil.
Tips:
- you can swap for ground turkey
- find our recipe for Instant Pot and oven baked spaghetti squash
- if you are keto or strict low carb, seek out a low carb marinara sauce such as Rao's.
- nutritional info was calculated with Rao's marinara sauce
- replacing spaghetti squash with zucchini noodles works out to only 4 g net carbs
- Fridge - store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer- we have not tried and are unsure how this recipe will freeze/thaw
- Reheat - heat until steaming hot in the microwave and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition Information
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Elizabeth says
Love this recipe!!! Tastes Amazing! Thank for you sharing your fabulous recipes. I had my kids try it and they loved it. I didn't tell them about the squash since they probably wouldn't have tried if they had known. They said Garfield the cat would love this lasagna recipe too! Love the healthy eating you provide for us Denise!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Elizabeth! That's so great that your kids loved it, and I love that it got Garfield's approval too. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
Viviana says
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner!
Denise says
Woo hoo! So happy to hear this, Viviana. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. Hope you are safe!
Adelina Priddis says
Made this last night and it was fantastic! Even though the kids knew there was squash in it, and didn't want to eat it solely because "squash" - they still did and they loved it.
Thanks!
Denise says
YAY! I'm so happy your kids enjoyed. Kids are definitely the toughest critics so winning them over makes me so happy 😀
Danielle E. says
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this recipe!!! I’ve been wanting to try veggie noodles FOREVER, but I was afraid it would taste awful. I’m also a picky eater, so my “as seen on TV” spiralizer sat in a drawer for so long, I’m surpised it didn’t rust! Well, fast forward to this recipe and I decided to give it a real try. I mean, who doesn’t love lasagna??? Especially if it’s as easy as this???! I didn’t use spaghetti squash (it’s a work in progress lol), so I subbed zucchini, and I didn’t even miss the pasta! I’m working on eating healthier and this is a favorite recipe. Thank you for making me a zoodle lover for life! ?
Denise says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear this, Danielle! I can't wait to try with zucchini noodles!