Vegan Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Creamy Pesto

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Silky cashew cream and basil pesto go into this crispy panko topped, totally vegan, and 100% delicious spaghetti squash casserole!

Spaghetti squash has a reputation for being boring. You know what I mean…like a sad substitute for spaghetti.

I get it! When I want spaghetti, I want the real deal.

The thing with spaghetti squash is that you have to love it for what it is: a sweet winter squash with great texture. You need to take advantage of that texture! For example, bake it into a casserole. The stringiness of spaghetti squash is perfect for a creamy casserole like this one.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Spaghetti squash. Pick a good one! It should feel heavy and have a solid, dark yellow color. Spaghetti squash is in season during the fall, so this is the best time of year to buy one.
• Raw cashews. These will be the base for your creamy sauce. Make sure they’re raw, as roasted cashews will mess up the flavor of your casserole.
• Pesto. You can use store-bought vegan pesto, such as Amore brand, or whip up a batch of homemade vegan pesto.
• Non-dairy milk. Use a variety that’s unflavored and unsweetened. Rice milk, almond milk, cashew milk and soy milk are all good options.
• Flour. This recipe was developed with all-purpose wheat flour, but I suspect that other varieties such as gluten-free flour would work.
• Nutritional yeast flakes. Look for these in the natural foods aisle of the supermarket. They’ll add cheesy flavor to your casserole.
• Salt.
• Panko breadcrumbs.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Start by roasting your spaghetti squash. Simply pierce it a few times with a knife, then stick the whole thing in the oven.

Make the sauce while the squash roasts: blend soaked raw cashews with pesto, non-dairy milk, flour, nutritional yeast and salt in a blender or food processor. Be patient, as this can take a few minutes, particularly if your blending device isn’t super high-powered.

Let the squash cool a bit when it’s done, then cut it open and scrape out the flesh. You’ll want to discard the seeds and peel.

Combine the stringy flesh with the sauce, place it in a baking vessel.

Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top and bake the squash until they’re browned and crispy.

Let your vegan spaghetti squash casserole sit for a bit before you dig in.

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover vegan spaghetti squash casserole will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.