This delicious pasta bake is packed with tons of zucchini and just a little bit of pasta making it a great lower carb dinner option!
We finally got some rain here! Well, at least it smelled like rain and I think I saw a few sprinkles, but it cooled down the temps and it actually feels somewhat bearable outside.
The summer monsoons are one of my favorite parts about living in Arizona and I’m going to be really sad if they don’t get their act together soon! Another favorite thing about this summer is my spiralizer. I know I’m a little slow to catch onto the trend, but I’ve been using it so much lately and really loving it.
I didn’t go full zucchini noodle in this recipe because I wanted to add some regular spaghetti to make it a bit more filling, but there’s 3 full zucchini and only 2 ounces of pasta, so it makes it great for a lower carb meal.
It’s cheesy and comforting but also packed with tons of veggies that are easy to hide if your trying to sneak them in 🙂
Lower Carb Zucchini Noodle Spaghetti Bake
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A lower carb pasta dish that’s super comforting and perfect for a quick and easy dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Basil for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook pasta according package directions. Once done, drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, heat a large oven safe pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- While onions are cooking, spiralize the zucchini (or cut in thin strips if you don’t have a spiralizer). Add garlic, zucchini, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes, until zucchini is tender. There will probably be a fair amount of water that comes out of the zucchini, I like to use a turkey baster, or spoon, to discard as much of the water as I can.
- Next, add the spaghetti noodles, tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir until everything is combined and then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on the top. Place the pan into the oven and bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, 10 – 15 mins.
- Top with fresh basil if desired and enjoy while hot!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the pan
- Calories: 201
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 22 g
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I do the same with veggie noodles and add some pasta in too! This looks like total comfort food to me!
I don’t think I could get my husband to eat just the zucchini noodles, haha! Thanks, Becky 🙂
Now THIS is a healthy comforting meal that my entire family would love!!! Your zucchini noodles look perfect!
Thanks, Laura!!
I would live for summer monsoons in AZ too — I don’t think I could take the summer heat there for a week! I love this lower carb spaghetti bake too. It’s so perfect for all of that zucchini!
Yeah, it’s way too hot here most of the summer haha! Thanks, Marcie!
I’m embarrassed to say that I had no idea that Arizona had summer monsoons! I’m sure that brings such relief! I love how you’ve lightened up a comfort food fave with my beloved zucchinis, Izzy!
They are amazing!! We’re actually having our first big one right now and I’m loving listening to the rain! Thanks, Liren!
This looks so decadent and it’s not so much–the zucchini noodles–what a fab idea! My spiralizer doesn’t come out often enough either.
Mine has been coming out much more lately and I’m loving it!
What a perfect lightened up dinner for Summer. And I love the sunny color, too!
Thanks, Liz! 🙂
If only I could lend you some of our rain! We’ve been getting too much here in Vermont! Love this combo and that you mention the turkey baster trick. So clever!
I need to send you some of our rain! We’ve had so much lately!
And this bake … I’ve been on a bit of a noodle kick this summer and this sounds fantastic!!
Do I out the noodles in uncooked? This looks delicious!!
Thanks, Bridget! You cook the spaghetti noodles separate and then add them in already cooked 🙂
Would it be ok to leave out spaghetti noodle and double amount of zucchini instead?
Definitely!
I was really inspired by this recipe. Made some omissions/substitutions. My ingredients were 1lb extra lean ground turkey, 2lbs presliced zucchini squash spirals available at my local grocery store, 8oz predicted yellow onions available at my local grocery store, 15oz reduced sodium black beans (drained) added for addtl veggie count, 24oz pasta sauce because that’s the size my favorite brand is sold, 2c shredded mozzarella. I omitted ALL seasoning to cut down on sodium etc since the pasta sauce had plenty flavor. Baked in 9×13 pan. Served w/ sour cream topping.
★★★★★
That’s so neat that you can buy the zucchini already in spirals, how handy! I love all the extras you added in! 🙂