Gluten Free Friday! (Cheesy Chili Spaghetti Squash Casserole)

Hello again everyone and welcome to another Gluten Free Friday. I hope everyone has had a great week and is looking forward to the weekend. Today I bring you a Gluten Free (and Low Carb) version of Chili Spaghetti. If you’ve never had Chili Spaghetti basically it’s exactly what it sounds like, spaghetti with chili on it instead of a normal tomato based sauce. Well today’s recipe uses spaghetti squash instead of the pasta so while the flavors are a bit different and the squash will be a bit softer than pasta, you still essentially get Chili Spaghetti without all of the gluten and carbs. It’s also fairly healthy otherwise and is high in protein as well at 23g per serving. Personally I think using spaghetti squash instead of pasta is a genius idea and I might even try other recipes using this idea. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Cheesy Chili Spaghetti Squash Casserole

For the Chili

• 1 lb Lean Ground Beef (or Turkey)
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Chipotles in Adobo (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 cup Prepared Salsa
• Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Casserole

• 4 cups Cooked Spaghetti Squash
• 2 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1 3/4 cup Kraft Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Chopped Cilantro (optional)
• Sour Cream, Salsa, Avocado to serve (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan brown the ground meat and season with salt and pepper; pour off any extra fat and discard.
3. Add the remainder of the chili ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the cooked spaghetti squash and melted butter, tossing to coat; season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spread the squash out in a 12-14 inch casserole dish and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese.
6. Spread the sour cream over the cheese layer then spoon on the chili and spread it out, leaving a 1 inch border of spaghetti squash around the edge; top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.
8. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole or avocado slices as desired.

Approx nutrition info per serving: 284 cal, 20g fat, 6g net carbs, 23g protein