Spaghetti Squash & Turkey Meatball Recipe
This versatile root vegetable is known for its uniquely stringy texture and traditional squash flavor. Follow along for a healthy spin on spaghetti & meatballs.
Hey friends,
Fall is here! That means squash of all varieties can be found in grocery stores across America. Today, we’re going to talk about a type of squash you’ve probably already heard of before. Spaghetti Squash. This versatile root vegetable is known for its uniquely stringy texture and traditional squash flavor.
For our recipe, we took an Italian staple, “Spaghetti & Meatballs”, and lightened it up a bit for a feel good alternative to a carb heavy classic. Just follow these easy steps below to make this delicious dish!
Yields: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash
1 Package of Ground Turkey
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 Sweet Onion
2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Honey
3 Tbsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Bonus: 2 Tbsp. Calabrian Chili Pepper Powder, if you have it
For the sauce:
Dice half of the onion. Reserve other half for turkey meatballs
Place onions in lightly oiled pot on medium high heat. Sweat onion
Add the can of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, honey, half the salt and pepper, and Calabrian chili powder, if you have it. Mix together and taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Once sauce begins to bubble, adjust the heat and bring sauce to a very gentle simmer. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally so sauce doesn’t burn the bottom of the pot.
When ready to eat, add lemon juice and mix in.
For the meatballs:
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Grate other 1/2 onion into a bowl.
Mix ground turkey with 1/2 the salt, pepper, and grated onion. Add any additional seasonings to taste.
Make approximately 3 oz. meatballs. Rolling in your hand, then placing on a sprayed cookie sheet.
Place cookie sheet in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Once the meatballs have browned, remove from the oven and add to the sauce to finish cooking.
Turn pot up to medium and cook while spaghetti squash finishes cooking
For the squash:
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut Spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and season with EVOO, pinch of salt & pepper.
Place squash in a baking dish cut side up. Wrap the dish in aluminum foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove foil and cook for additional 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
Once cooled, grab a fork and scrap the spaghetti-like inside of the squash into a bowl.
Assemble all of your ingredients, top with parmesan and/or red chili flakes and enjoy!
