Hello there! If you are reading this when it comes out, you might be in quarantine. I hesitated creating a recipe since most of you are probably avoiding grocery stores, but this recipe is easy and can be modified to use ingredients you already have.
Spaghetti and Meatballs is such a classic dish and using spaghetti squash, makes you get in a big serving of veggies! The Italian meatballs are full of flavor and have no breadcrumbs or cheese making this recipe dairy-free. I used nutritional yeast which contains a good amount of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It has a nutty, savory similar to cheese flavor. Using this instead of cheese or breadcrumbs, helps the meatballs bind together.
Make sure you start cooking the spaghetti squash first so that it is baking while you make the meatballs and sauce. Work smarter not harder (thanks husband)!
I hope that you and your family are staying healthy and sane during this time! I will try to create more easy “quarantine” style recipes in the following weeks!
Enjoy!
Paleo Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash Noodles
- 1 Spaghetti Squash
- Olive Oil Spray
- Salt + Pepper
Italian Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb Ground Pork Sausage
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Finely Minced Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 cup Loosely Packed Chopped Parsley
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Pepper
Easy Red Sauce
- 1 14.5oz Can of Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 15oz Can of Red Tomato Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash Noodles
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the squash width wise. This makes strands longer.
- Spray with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the strands fall out easily with a fork.
- Scoop out the seeds and using a spoon. Create the "noodles" by scrapping them out and set aside in a bowl.
Italian Meatballs with Easy Red Sauce
- In a medium bowl, add in all of the ingredients for the "Italian Meat-balls" except for the olive oil. Using your hands, gently mix.
- Roll meat mixture into 1-1.5 inch balls and set aside on parchment paper. Tip: wet your hands with water before and throughout the process of rolling the meat into balls it doesn't stick to your hands.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs turing every minute or when they easily move to the touch. This will make it to where the meat doesn't stick to the pan and your meatballs fall apart. You might have to do two batches.
- Once you brown all of the meatballs (they will not be fully cooked yet), set them aside.
- Using the same skillet, add all of the ingredients for the "Easy Red Sauce".
- Once the red sauce comes to a boil, add the meatballs into the sauce.
- Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for 45-60 minutes covered, turning the meatballs every 8-10 minutes.
- Once the meatballs are fully cooked (165 F check using meat thermometer), serve over spaghetti squash.
