This Zoodle Spaghetti Casserole is a hearty, low carb meal packed with flavor! Zucchini noodles (zoodles) are layered with a rich meat sauce, a creamy cottage cheese filling and a golden brown, gooey mozzarella topping that ties everything together. This low-carb comfort food is a great recipe for anyone on a low carb diet or limiting grains!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy
After preparing the zucchini noodles (zoodles), meat sauce, and cheeses, simply layer them in a casserole dish and bake it in the oven. If you’re new to making zoodles, you might think it’s going to be a very time consuming process. I would argue that making zoodles is even easier than boiling regular spaghetti noodles!
Healthy
Zucchini pasta casserole is packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats – all while being lower in carbs and higher in fiber compared to traditional pasta dishes, making it a nutritious and satisfying meal.
Delicious
We are big lasagna and spaghetti fans in my house. When we decided to take a break from pasta to avoid grains, I wasn’t expecting to be enjoying Italian style casserole dishes any time soon. The first time I made this recipe I was pleasantly surprised – I enjoyed this spaghetti casserole dish even more than traditional lasagna or spaghetti! My favorite thing about this recipe is how perfectly the flavor and texture of zucchini pairs with the flavors of the tomato meat sauce and rich cheeses. The zucchini adds more depth of flavor, an amazing texture, and makes the casserole so filling!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to let your spiralized zucchini rest with the salt for at least 1 hour, and squeeze out all of the excess water you can (without destroying the zoodles). You may end up with a soupy result if you have too much excess moisture.
- Make sure to brown the beef well before combining with the tomato sauce for the best flavor.
- It is normal for the casserole to have a little liquid on the bottom – don’t worry, it’s delicious!
How to Serve Zoodle Spaghetti Casserole
Once the casserole has rested for a few minutes, cut into squares with a sharp knife, and gently transfer onto serving plates with a spatula. Just like lasagna or spaghetti, this dish goes great with a side salad!
How to Store Zoodle Casserole
Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
How to Make Zoodle Casserole
Make the Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
Spiralize zucchini and place into a large colander. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over zoodles and coat as evenly as you can with your hands. Place colander over a bowl or plate and let zucchini rest for at least 1 hour.
After an hour or so, gently squeeze as much moisture out of the zoodles as you can- without totally squishing the zoodles into mush.
Make the Meat Sauce
While the zoodles are resting with salt, you can prepare the meat sauce.
Heat a large skillet to medium heat.
Sauté onions in ghee, tallow, or butter until fairly translucent.
Add garlic and stir until just fragrant.
Add ground beef. Cook for about 10 minutes or until fully browned, stirring frequently. Try to keep the heat somewhat high so there is not a lot of liquid in the pain causing the beef to boil instead of brown on the bottom of the pan.
Add beef mixture to a large bowl.
Add tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and basil to bowl and stir to combine.
Prepare the Creamy Cheese Sauce Filling
Add eggs, cottage cheese, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, and oregano or Italian seasoning to a small bowl and combine well.
Prepare the Casserole
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Evenly spread 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Evenly spread 1/2 of the strained spiralized zucchini noodles over the the layer of meat sauce.
Evenly spread cottage cheese mixture over zoodle layer.
Evenly distribute 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella over cottage cheese layer.
Evenly spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce over mozzarella.
Evenly layer the rest of the zoodles over the layer of meat sauce.
Evenly spread the rest of the meat sauce over zoodles.
Evenly distribute the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan on top of the meat sauce layer.
Place on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes to one hour, or until top layer of cheese begins to bubble and turn golden brown in areas.
Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before cutting into.
Cut into squares of desired serving sizes.
Enjoy!
Zoodle Spaghetti Casserole (Low Carb Zucchini Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 9 x 13 casserole dish
- 1 vegetable spiralizer
- 1 colander for straining spiralized zucchini
- 2 large bowls
- 1 small bowl
- 1 large skillet
- 2 large spoons for spreading layers
Ingredients
- 6 medium sized zucchini
- 8 oz mozzarella, coarsely shredded and divided
- 2/3 cup parmesan, finely shredded and divided
- 1 lb ground beef
- 24 oz strained tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided (plus more to taste in sauce)
- 6 fresh basil leaves, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 oz cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 2 eggs
- Fresh parsely for garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter, ghee, or tallow
Instructions
Make the Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
- Spiralize zucchini and place into a large colander. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over zoodles and coat as evenly as you can with your hands. Place colander over a bowl or plate and let zucchini rest for at least 1 hour.
- After an hour or so, gently squeeze as much moisture out of the zoodles as you can- without totally squishing the zoodles into mush.
Make the Meat Sauce
- While the zoodles are resting with salt, you can prepare the meat sauce.
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat.
- Sauté onions in ghee or tallow until fairly translucent.
- Add garlic and stir until just fragrant.
- Add ground beef. Cook for about 10 minutes or until fully browned, stirring frequently. Try to keep the heat somewhat high so there is not a lot of liquid in the pain, causing the beef to boil instead of brown on the bottom of the pan.
- Add beef mixture to large bowl.
- Add tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and basil to bowl and stir to combine.
Prepare the Cheeses and Creamy Cheese Sauce
- Add eggs, cottage cheese, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, and oregano or Italian seasoning to a small bowl and combine well.
Prepare the Casserole
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Evenly spread 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Evenly spread 1/2 of the strained spiralized zucchini noodles of the the layer of meat sauce.
- Evenly spread cottage cheese mixture over zoodle layer.
- Evenly distribute 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella over cottage cheese
- Evenly spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce over mozzarella.
- Evenly layer the rest of the zoodles over the layer of meat sauce.
- Evenly layer the final layer of meat sauce over zoodles.
- Evenly distribute the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan on top of the meat sauce.
- Place on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes to one hour, or until top later of cheese begins to bubble and turn golden brown in areas.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before cutting into.
- Cut into squares of desired serving sizes.
- Enjoy!
