Low Carb Dinner Recipe: Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Spaghetti Squash Noodles

My family eats soup year around--but, especially during our chilly fall and winter months in Ohio.  As the kids head back to school, I try to plan some easy dinners that can be made ahead and reheated.  Soup is a perfect, "leftover" lunch or dinner.  While soup makes a wonderful comfort food--some of us may seek fewer  carbs in our fall-weather-comfort foods!  I love homemade, chicken noodle soup; but, my scales suggest that I lighten up on the noodles.  This week, I made my usual chicken noodle soup recipe and subbed in spaghetti squash "noodles" instead of my usual, heavy, Amish made, egg noodles. It was a huge hit!  My youngest daughter was even caught picking out the "noodles" from her soup to eat them first!  Here is my Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Spaghetti Squash Noodles recipe!

Ingredients for Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Spaghetti Squash Noodles

1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I use Kirkland EVOO)
1 c. Carrots, Chopped
1 c. Celery, Chopped
1/2 c. Yellow Onion, Chopped
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
3/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
10 c. Chicken Broth (I usually make my own--or use Imagine broth)
12 Oz. Chicken (light & dark meat or white meat only), Cooked & Chopped

2 c. Steamed Spaghetti Squash "Noodles"

Instructions for my Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Spaghetti Squash Noodles.

Saute the Starter Veggies.   Almost all of my homemade soup recipes start with the same, basic, soup starter "formula".  Add the olive oil and butter to a stock pot.  Melt the butter over medium heat--taking care to avoid browning the butter.  Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the oil and butter.  Saute over medium heat until the celery and onions are translucent and the carrots begin to soften a bit--usually about 5-7 minutes.

Spice and Simmer.  Add the spices to the vegetables and continue to saute for another minute or two.  Add the broth and the chicken.  Return the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes to allow time for the flavors to blend.

Add noodles and serve.  Divide the soup into serving bowls.  This generally makes 4-6 large, full bowls of soup.  Divide the spaghetti squash noodles between the soup bowls, stir, and serve.  


We usually serve with salad or fresh vegetables and dip.

Mama's Kitchen Notes

Steaming a Spaghetti Squash is super easy.  Simply preheat oven to 400F.  Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, place the squash halves cut sides down in a shallow baking or roasting pan, pierce the skin of each half several times with the tines of a fork, add about 1/2-1 inch of water and bake for about 40-60 minutes.  A smaller squash will cook faster than a huge one--so you will have to adjust roasting times accordingly. 

I add the spaghetti squash noodles to the hot soup bowls and allow the heat of the soup to "reheat" the faux noodles rather than adding them to the soup pot.  I find that we prefer the texture of the "noodles" steamed without softening them too much with extra simmering in the soup broth.

Save the squash seeds and roast them!  While there aren't always many seeds in a spaghetti squash--they roast as easily (and as yummy) as pumpkin seeds.  

Looking for some other fall soup recipe ideas?

Try our  Turkey Vegetable Soup Recipe
or our Three Bean & Kale Soup Recipe
Spice things up with ourSpicy Chicken & Black Bean Slow Cooker Chili