Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo
It's October, so I'm all about fall flavors right now. It's the perfect time to dig in to a warm bowl of Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo. There's something cozy about alfredo sauce, and it was always my favorite pasta sauce anyways. To make it even more cozy and flavorful, I added caramelized onions, mushrooms and pine nuts. Yum! Luckily, Alfredo is low-carb and very keto-friendly, so you'll be able to enjoy this pasta guilt-free.
Keto Spaghetti: Finding a pasta replacement
There are various pasta replacements on the market, both natural and processed. In my personal opinion, none of them are all that great. "Zoodles" (spiralized zucchini) are the most popular, but they just never get soft enough. Most grocery stores carry something called "miracle noodles," which are rubbery like chewing gum. Aldi sells edamame pasta that does have a decent texture and flavor, but is borderline keto. There are a few others that you can buy online. But my all-time favorite pasta-substitute, hands down, is spaghetti squash. It has a nice flavor, the texture resembles real pasta, the long strands twirl around your fork like real spaghetti, and I always feel better when I make something natural instead of processed.
Nutrition
My 3-pound squash provided approximately 6 cups of spaghetti, therefore my dish makes 6 servings. Since the size of each squash is different, you may have to adjust the recipe to accommodate the amount of squash you have. One cup of spaghetti squash contains about 4g net carbs.
Doesn't alfredo have lots of calories?
For many years, I avoided alfredo sauce because of its high calories. It has a bad reputation. But consider this: if you eat squash instead of real pasta, that cuts the calories in the "spaghetti" down from 220 to 30. Wow! If your goal is to eat high fat and low carbs so that you feel full and avoid sugar crashes, this is right up your alley. Don't worry about the calories. As with most keto foods, this sauce is so rich that you'll get full pretty fast anyways. I suggest you serve a small portion of this pasta alongside some chicken breast (like I did). And if you're a pasta-lover like me who could finish a bowl of spaghetti in under 30 seconds, just try to eat slowly. Give your belly time to inform your brain that you're full.
Making Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo
Roasting a squash may seem like an extra step, but the oven will do most of the work. It's worth it, I promise. If you insist on taking the lazy way out, you can definitely just cook it in the microwave. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.
Out of the oven! To get the "spaghetti," just take your fork and use short strokes to pull the meat away from the skin. Don't worry about separating all the individual spaghetti strands. They will naturally separate when you mix it with the sauce. Time to mix this Keto spaghetti with some mushroom alfredo sauce!
Tips & Tricks
- Make the mushroom alfredo sauce while the squash is roasting to save on time.
- Don't worry about separating all the individual spaghetti strands. They will naturally separate when you mix it with the sauce.
- When making the sauce, add the cream and cheese at the end, right before mixing it all up and serving. If cream gets too hot it can curdle and ruin the sauce. To be on the safe side, I always turn off the burner and let it sit for a minute before stirring in the dairy. The pan should still be hot, but not boiling.
- I cut my spaghetti squash length-wise so that it's easier to scrape out the seeds and get the spaghetti out. However, if you are a fan of super-long spaghetti strands, then cutting it in half the other way will give you longer strands.
- Roast the spaghetti squash face-down. This makes it steamy inside so that the squash gets soft. You can roast them face-up if you want more of a roasted flavor, but some of the strands will get dried out. It would be better to roast them face-down, but at the very end, turn them upside down and then broil for a few minutes.
- Short on time or just plain lazy? You can microwave the squash for an extra 5 minutes (10-15 minutes total microwave time) and completely skip the oven.
Want to serve with dessert? This Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo pairs well with a zucchini cobbler or, for a quick option, microwave a pumpkin pie in a mug.
📖 Recipe
Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
- 6 cups spaghetti squash (from one squash of approximately 3 lbs / 1.3 kg)
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- sprinkle of salt
Sauce
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 6 tablespoon butter (¾ a stick)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- dash of salt and pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon pesto (alternatively, add 1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil)
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (about 2 big fist-fulls)
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
- Turn on your oven and set it to 350°. Get out a sheet pan for the squash and a frying pan for the sauce.
- Using a fork or knife, poke some holes all around your spaghetti squash. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 6 minutes.
- Carefully (it will be hot), cut the squash in half length-wise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Then drizzle with avocado oil, sprinkle with salt, and place them face-down on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Alfredo Sauce
- Put the butter, thinly sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper in the frying pan. Turn on medium-high heat and saute for 10-15 minutes until browned and onions are caramelized.
- Turn off the heat and let the pan sit for a minute or two. The pan should still be very hot but no longer sizzling. Mix in the heavy cream, cheeses, pesto and spinach.
Put It All Together
- Once the squash is out of the oven, let it rest for a couple minutes before handling. Then, in one hand hold onto the squash (using a towel or oven mitt) and with the over hand take a fork and use short strokes to pull the meat away from the skin.
- Put all of the "spaghetti" into the pot of sauce and mix well. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is estimated. Amounts may vary depending on the specific brand and/or type of ingredients you use. Sugar alcohols and other sweeteners that typically do not effect blood glucose levels, including but not limited to erythritol and allulose, are excluded from the carb count.
Pamela
Very warm and satisfying as good comfort food should be.