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Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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A comforting and hearty dish, this Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole is made with ranch dressing, ground turkey, kale, onion, and spaghetti squash and baked in the oven until crispy and golden brown. Turkey casserole is packed with protein and healthy fat, is great for meal prep, and is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30 approved.

Last updated on February 25, 2020.

A large baking dish filled with ground turkey spaghetti squash garnished with ranch dressing, chopped parsley, and sliced avocado. Behind it is a small dish of more parsley.

It’s casserole time of year! Even though I had no idea what a casserole was until moving to Texas in my mid-20s, I now love a good healthy casserole.

And even though we didn’t eat them growing up, the idea for a casserole is pretty genius if done the right way. Throw some veggies, meats, sauce, and a binder into a pan and bake it. You really can’t go wrong. I definitely prefer my casseroles with veggies and protein as opposed to canned condensed soups, flours, or thickening agents, and who knows what else.

A white plate with a piece of turkey spaghetti squash casserole with a salad. Behind it is a large dish with more casserole.

And that is exactly what we are doing in the ground turkey spaghetti squash casserole. Made with spaghetti squash, ground turkey, kale, onions, and ranch dressing and using eggs as a binder. It’s hearty and comforting, while still being healthy and makes a great meal for the whole family.

I also want to point out, I didn’t really like ranch growing up. So this recipe hits on all things I didn’t grow up eating haha! I’m a fan of high-quality ranches like Tessemae’s or Primal Kitchen – both are made from whole food ingredients (like avocado oil, spices, and eggs) and are paleo and Whole30 compliant!

Overhead shot of healthy turkey casserole garnished with parsley, ranch, and avocado.

How to Bake Spaghetti Squash

There are a few ways to bake spaghetti squash depending on the time you have the kitchen appliances you have. Here are my top ways:

  1. Oven-baked spaghetti squash – preheat oven to 375 degrees and cut the squash in half length or width-wise. Lengthwise is more common, but if you cut it width-wise, you will get longer strains of spaghetti (good if you are using it as spaghetti). Rub a little oil and salt and pepper on the flesh and place face down on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the skin gives and can easily be threaded.
  2. Instant Pot spaghetti squash – add about 1-2 cups of water to your Instant Pot with the steamer insert. Cut in half width-wise, place squash in your Instant Pot, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. I’ve also heard you can cook it without cutting it in half, but I haven’t tried it that way.
  3. microwave spaghetti squash – I haven’t tried this, but you can check out this post. All you need to do is cut it in half, place flesh side down in a glass baking dish, fill that dish with about an inch of water, and microwave for 10 minutes until cooked.

Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This healthy ground turkey casserole is made from just 10 good for you ingredients. It makes a well-balanced meal with protein, healthy fats, and veggies. By using spaghetti squash, it is low carb and keto. If you bake the spaghetti squash ahead of time, it saves a bunch of time and makes an easy weeknight dinner. Or it’s perfect for meal prep!

Here is what you need:

  • spaghetti squash
  • onion
  • ground turkey
  • kale
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • dried parsley
  • dried dill
  • eggs
  • ranch dressing
  • oil

A saute pan filled with cooked turkey, kale, onions, and spices.

First, start off by cooking your spaghetti squash. I baked mine in the oven, but you can cook it according to one of the other ways above!

When you have about 15 minutes left on the spaghetti squash, start to make the turkey and kale mixture. Heat up a large cast-iron or skillet and add a little oil. Add the onions and some salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add the turkey and saute for 4-5 more minutes until browned. Next all the kale and saute for 1-2 more minutes until wilted. Stir in the spices.

When the spaghetti squash is done, add it to a large greased baking dish (I used an 8×8). Next, add the turkey mixture along with the eggs and ranch dressing. Mix well to combine. If it is easier, you can mix everything up in a bowl, but I like to save an extra dish to wash.

Finally, bake for 45-55 minutes until the mixture is set and is crispy around the edges and golden brown on top. Let cool for 1-2 minutes and enjoy! I like topping mine with a little more ranch, some hot sauce, and fresh parsley.

Glass baking dish filled with cooked spaghetti squash, ground turkey and kale, eggs, and ranch dressing before it is mixed up. Keto ground turkey casserole in a glass baking dish before it is baked in the oven.

Meal Prep Healthy Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Baked spaghetti squash casserole is a great dish to prep ahead of time or meal prep for the week! There are a few different ways you can meal prep it:

  • Make the spaghetti squash ahead of time and store it in the fridge. On the day of, make the turkey mixture and mix with the already cooked spaghetti squash and remaining ingredients and bake.
  • Make the spaghetti squash and the turkey and kale mixture and store separately in the fridge. Then, when you are ready to assemble, just put it in a large glass baking dish with the eggs and the ranch, mix, and bake.
  • Bake it on Sunday and store in the fridge for a quick meal during the week. Either reheat it in the oven or microwave depending on your setting.
  • Freeze it. If you want to freeze it, make it according to the directions and let cool completely. You can either freeze the whole dish or cut into individual pieces and freeze separately. When ready to eat, let defrost in the fridge or on the counter. Either bake it to warm through (if whole) or if you have an individual piece, bake it or microwave it.

If you have leftovers, just store it in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass container. It saves well and should be good for up to a week.

More Healthy Casserole Recipes

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Beef Taco Casserole (Paleo/Whole30)

Whole30 Breakfast Casserole

Baking dish filled with ground turkey casserole with spaghetti squash and garnished with sliced avocado, ranch, and parsley.

A large baking dish filled with ground turkey spaghetti squash garnished with ranch dressing, chopped parsley, and sliced avocado. Behind it is a small dish of more parsley.
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4.56 from 29 votes

Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole

A comforting and hearty dish, this Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole is made with ranch dressing, ground turkey, kale, onion, and spaghetti squash and baked in the oven until crispy and golden brown. This turkey casserole is packed with protein and healthy fats, is great for meal prep, and is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30 approved.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash, Healthy Ground Turkey Casserole, Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 294kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1 small spaghetti squash (1066 grams raw - you will get about 5 cups/800 grams of spaghetti once cooked)
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey (I used 93/7)
  • 2 cups packed kale, roughly chopped (120 grams)
  • 1/2 cup diced onion (60 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ranch dressing (homemade or store-bought)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • oil, for greasing
  • optional toppings: ranch, parsley, avocado, hot sauce...

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and sprinkle the flesh with a little oil and salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on the baking sheet and roast 35-40 minutes until the skin gives a little when touched.
  • When the spaghetti squash has about 15 minutes left, make the turkey kale mixture. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron or saute pan over medium heat. If needed, add about 1/2 tablespoon oil and let it get hot. Add onion and salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add turkey and break it up with the back of a spoon. Cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly browned. Add chopped kale and cook for another 2 minutes until wilted and everything is cooked through. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Grease a 7x11 baking dish (or something similar). When spaghetti squash is done, remove from oven and thread flesh with a fork to make spaghetti (you should have around 5 cups cooked). Add to the greased pan. Add turkey mixture, eggs, ranch, and salt and pepper, and mix until well combined, making sure the eggs are evenly distributed. If needed, you can mix in a bowl, but I don't like to dirty any more dishes than needed.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes until browned and cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes and then top with optional toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

To save time, feel free to roast the spaghetti squash a day or so before and store in the fridge. I also listed other meal prep options for making ahead of time and storing in the blog post above.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 piece (1/6 of recipe))
Calories 294 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 3.4g21%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.9g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Potassium 450mg13%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4.4g5%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 1314IU26%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Calcium 109mg11%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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A comforting and hearty dish without the guilt, Turkey Kale Ranch Casserole packs protein & healthy fats, is great for meal prep, & is paleo, gluten & dairy free, & Whole30 approved - Eat the Gains

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Comments

    • I haven’t tried it, I think it would freeze just fine. You could cut it up and freeze in individual portions or just freeze the whole thing. I hope you enjoy and good luck with the Whole30, I love that you are planning ahead already!!

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    One of my go to recipes! Super simple, kid friendly, and delicious! I am a spice lover so I put jalapeños
    In one half of the casserole (the other half is for the kids). Once it’s cooked I load it up with hot sauce. To make it easier I will use tessamaes (any type
    Of their ranch flavoring) so I don’t have to do any blending! Yummy!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    This was fantastic, I’ve made it twice in 2 weeks and will probably continue to do so. It’s such low effort to make such a wonderful dish. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Hey Brittany! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for trying! I had the prep time down as 5 minutes just to cut the spaghetti squash. Then the rest of the time is the cook time as the squash is cooking and you can prepare the turkey mixture while it cooks. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  11. 5 stars
    This was delicious and super easy. I substituted a clove of garlic for the garlic powder, but otherwise, followed the recipe exactly as written. Preparing the spaghetti squash was the most time consuming part which really wasn’t! I did that part earlier in the day so when I went to make it at night it was super easy to throw together. I baked the casserole for 50 min while we went outside for a moonlight walk (dark here at 5pm now!). Thanks for posting. Great informal dish to serve for company.

    Reply

    • Oh I love that you multitasked and prepared things earlier in the day. Definitely makes the process easier! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for trying Daisy!

      Reply

  12. 5 stars
    Great recipe but it would’ve been helpful if you used an 8×8 dish in your photos since this is what the recipe makes. I bought groceries for it assuming it would make a 9×13 but now wish I would’ve doubled it.

    Reply

    • Hey Anne! So sorry about the typo! The dish I used is actually a 7×11, but any kind of dish will work. I think it will depend on how large your spaghetti squash is too. Hope that helps and sorry for the inconvenience!

      Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Just made this using palmini and sausage, as that’s what I had on hand, but followed everything else exactly. Soooo good, quick and easy. Will definitely be a regular recipe in our household 🙂

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    OMG, crazy delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. So healthy and nutritious and again just crazy delicious and surprisingly easy. We are a big veggie family so this just hit the spot and was completely gone in one sitting. Question, do you have any thoughts or tried variations as a mix in? The ranch is crazy delicious which made me wonder if other flavors might work too as we’re using this recipe a lot? Thanks again!

    Reply

    • Yay, so glad to hear that! And yes, any kind of dressing would work. Use it as a base and change it up!! Any veggies to add will work (just saute them up beforehand) and well as ground meat. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  16. 5 stars
    Wow my husband and I loved this recipe! I made some modifications mostly based on just what ingredients I had in the house:
    Replaced ranch with Greek yogurt and an extra 1/2 tsp of all of the spices
    Replaced kale with frozen broccoli which I steamed in the microwave
    Sprinkled a little cheese on top

    Absolutely delicious!

    Reply

      • 5 stars
        This was so easy and delicious! I am even thinking of ways I can turn this into a breakfast casserole! I’m thinking breakfast sausage or bacon would be really good. I did put hot sauce on top because I love everything with an extra kick.

        Reply

        • Haha, I love it! I think it would definitely work for breakfast and those additions sound great. Thanks for trying it Adrienne and glad you enjoyed!

          Reply

  17. 5 stars
    I made this last night for myself , my brother , and the boyfriend . They were pretty skeptical that it didn’t have any noodles in it . So I switched it up and did Laura’s lean beef 2lbs and added fresh tomato’s and a drizzle of basil pesto on top ! This was to die for ! Of course the boys put cheese on their 3/4 of the casserole and it was all consumed in about 15 min after coming out of the oven !!

    Reply

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