This one is our take on the classic Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs. However, as is our typical modus operandi, we made a few changes to the dish to give it our own unique flair. In this case, we replaced the pasta with squash and built from there. The beauty of this dish is that you can easily make everything beforehand and stash it in your fridge to heat when you’re ready for it on a busy night.
For this meal, we used Spinach Stuffed Garlic Turkey Meatballs, but you can use any meatballs you like! We’ve also linked to recipes for our Italian Sausage and Tofu Meatballs in the “Ingredients” section if you’d like to try making those!
Time: 90 Minutes (although you can assemble ahead of time to reheat quickly when you’re ready)
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti Squash
- Meatballs (use your favourite recipe, try one of our Funky Meatball Recipes, or use pre-made)
- Tomato Sauce…or make your own quick sauce with:
- A Can of Diced Tomatoes
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Basil
- 1-2 Teaspoons Sugar or Honey Crystals
- Parmesan Cheese or Shredded Mozzarella
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and line roasting pan or baking sheet with sides with a little foil.
- Carefully, cut the the stem off your squash. Then, cut it in half from top to bottom.
- Scoop out all the seeds, and discard them.
- Add a little water to your roasting pan, and place your squash “inside down” on the pan. Stash in the oven for 45 minutes.
- While your squash roasts:
- Make your meatballs.
- Make your Tomato Sauce:
- Add your can of diced tomatoes with all of the other sauce ingredients into your blender/food processor/Ninja.
- Puree, and pour into a sauce pan.
- Simmer for about a half hour until your sauce thickens and darkens in colour.
- When your squash is done, remove it from the oven, and let cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully (it will be hot, so we suggest using protective oven gloves for this), grab one of your squash halves, and hold it over your casserole dish. Use a fork to shred the flesh into your casserole dish…then do the same thing with the other half, and spread all of your spaghetti squash along the bottom of the dish.
- Place your meatballs atop the squash, and then pour your sauce over everything. Top everything off with your parmesan or shredded mozzarella (or both!).
- Put everything back in the oven for about 15-20 minutes to heat and melt your cheese.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
