Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium spaghetti squashes (approximately 3 pounds total)
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (or 2 tablespoons dried basil)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Halve the spaghetti squashes lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Brush the insides with olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes, or until the flesh is tender.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped basil, egg, minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and oregano.
- Gently mix the ingredients until just combined.
- Form the mixture into meatballs, each about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, yielding approximately 20 meatballs.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the meatballs in batches, cooking them for about 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, pour in the marinara sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet, cover, and allow them to simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes.
- After the spaghetti squashes have roasted, let them cool for a few minutes.
- Use a fork to scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.
- Serve by creating a nest of spaghetti squash on each plate and topping it with meatballs and marinara sauce.
- Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley leaves if desired.
Notes
- This recipe serves 4.
- Feel free to substitute ground turkey for a leaner option.
- Fresh basil can be replaced with dried basil if necessary.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking and Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg