Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs All’Arrabbiata

Autumn means its time for squash. Here’s a dish that lets you take advantage of one of our seasonal vegetables: spaghetti squash! A satisfying recipe, rich in fibre and protein, that’s easy to prepare ahead of time and just as good reheated!

I’ve used ground beef here, but you could very well use pork or turkey, or a mixture of meats! As for the tomato sauce, I used a store-bought sauce to save time, but feel free to use your homemade sauce.

For those who find it difficult adding more vegetables to their diet, I suggest you try spaghetti squash. It has a very mild, slightly sweet taste. When cooked, it pulls apart into spaghetti-like filaments, making it a perfect pairing with a meat sauce!

Servings: 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash (1.5-2kg)
• ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) olive or avocado oil
• 1 lb (450g) lean ground meat (beef or other)
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 egg
• ½ cup (125 ml) quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• ¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Arrabbiata tomato sauce:

• 1 650-ml jar store-bought tomato sauce
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp (5 ml) hot pepper flakes
• ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) olive or avocado oil
• ¼ bunch parsley, coarsely chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 380 degrees F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Spoon out stringy center and seeds. Brush flesh with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Lay flat, cut sides down, on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, hand-mix all the ingredients for the meatballs. Shape about 20 meatballs and place on another baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs is at least 166 degrees F. Turn the meatballs over halfway through cooking.
4. While everything is baking, prepare the tomato sauce. In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the oil and sauté the onions with the chili flakes. Once softened, add the garlic and tomato sauce.
5. When the meatballs are cooked, add them to the sauce, along with the parsley, and mix well. Let sit while you loosen the inside of the spaghetti squash with a fork.
6. Plate individually !

Nutritional values per serving: 556 calories | 27g fat | 43g carbohydrates | 12g fibers | 31g proteins

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs All'Arrabbiata is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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