Is spaghetti squash healthy?u003cbr/u003e

Spaghetti squash is loaded with nutrients and is much lower in calories and carbs than traditional spaghetti noodles. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu003cstrongu003eMACROS:u003c/strongu003e 1 cup contains 42 calories, 10g carbs, 1g protein, .5g of fat and 2.2g fiber.

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce (Whole30 Compliant)

Name: Spaghetti Squash with Healthy Meat Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 small spaghetti squash; olive oil; salt/pepper; 1 sweet onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves (or 4 Dorot crushed garlic cubes); 1 lb. ground Italian sausage (sub for favorite ground meat if desired); 1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned; 1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 6 TBS tomato paste; 1 1/2 tsp oregano; 1/2 tsp thyme

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce is a great alternative to high-calorie, high-carb traditional spaghetti and meatballs and is Whole30 and Paleo compliant.

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce in a green bowl.

We kinda have a thing going with Spaghetti Squash.

Pair Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce? Well, fair to say we are OBSESSED.

With only 42 calories and 10 carbs in a 1-cup serving, spaghetti squash is an undeniable upgrade from traditional pasta. The texture is tender, the flavor is subtle and the nutritional profile can't be beat.

This is exactly how we like to eat veggies: tossed with sautéed garlic and onions, fresh herbs, fire-roasted tomatoes and spicy Italian sausage. This Spaghetti Squash with Meat sauce is a major weeknight meal win for all the hungry people!

Added bonus, it's Whole30 and Paleo compliant. If you follow those diets ... perfect. If not, just know that means it's made with real food, no sugar and healthy ingredients. What's not to love?

This recipe was inspired our Chicken Fried (Cauliflower) Rice. Another sneaky swap, only instead of swapping squash for pasta, we sub out cauliflower for rice. It's DELICIOUS!

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Ingredients
Instructions To Prepare Spaghetti Squash
Instructions for Meat Sauce
Substitutions
Variations
Storage
Recipe
Recipes Like Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
Comments

Ingredients

spaghetti squash
olive oil
salt and pepper
onion
garlic
ground meat
fresh basil
fire roasted diced tomatoes
tomato paste
dried oregano
dried thyme
fresh parsley *** optional

**see recipe card for quantities

Instructions To Prepare Spaghetti Squash

Whole spaghetti squash that has been poked with holes on a wood cutting board.

Poke a few holes in the skin of the squash with a fork or knife. Microwave the spaghetti squash for 6 minutes.

Spaghetti squash sliced in half on a wood cutting board.

Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. It should slice easily since it was microwaved.

Spaghetti Squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut side down at 400 F for 40 minutes.

Spaghetti squash sliced in half and shredded with a fork.

Once spaghetti squash is roasted and cool enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the strands. Start at the outside and work your way in.

Hint: Allow the spaghetti squash to cool, cut side down. The result is perfectly tender spaghetti squash.

Instructions for Meat Sauce

Step 1 Meaty Marinara: Sauté olive oil, garlic and onions in pan.

Heat stove to medium-high. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add onions. Cook until translucent.

Step 2 - Meaty Marinara: Add ground sausage, salt and pepper to the pan.

Add ground sausage, salt and pepper to the pan. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, using a wood spoon to break up the sausage.

Step 3 - Add diced tomatoes, seasonings and tomato paste to meat sauce.

Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano and basil to the pan. Stir until the tomato paste breaks apart and all ingredients are incorporated.

Step 4 - Allow meat sauce to simmer for 20 minutes on stove.

Allow sauce to simmer for 20 minutes. Top cooked/shredded spaghetti squash with a pile of warm meat sauce and serve immediately.

Hint: Tomato's acidity can vary greatly from brand to brand. If your sauce tastes acidic and you are not following a Whole30 or Paleo diet, you can add a bit of sugar for a more balanced taste. Start with ¼ teaspoon and add more as needed.

Substitutions

Ground sausage - instead of sausage, you can substitute any type of ground protein (chicken, beef, turkey, etc.)

Spaghetti squash - fresh spaghetti squash can be subbed for a store-bought dried variety that is prepared similar to pasta.

Garlic - save time and substitute fresh minced garlic for Dorot Frozen crushed garlic.

Variations

Spicy - add chili flakes in addition to the thyme and oregano.

Kid-friendly - swap out spaghetti squash for regular pasta noodles

Vegetarian/Vegan - make recipe as written without the inclusion of the ground sausage

Storage

Spaghetti Squash: Spaghetti squash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To freeze, place prepared spaghetti squash in a colander and let it drain overnight before packing into an air tight freezer bag. It will stay fresh for about 6 months.

Meat Sauce: Meat sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To freeze, pour cooled sauce into a freezer bag and remove air. Meat sauce will stay fresh in the freezer for about 3 months.

Recipe

Spaghetti Squash with Healthy Meat Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.3 from 4 reviews

Author: Bailey Sissom
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce is a great alternative to high-calorie, high-carb traditional spaghetti and meatballs and is Whole30 and Paleo compliant.

Ingredients

Scale

2 small spaghetti squash
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves (or 4 Dorot crushed garlic cubes)
1 lb. ground Italian sausage (sub for favorite ground meat if desired)
½ cup fresh basil, julienned
1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
6 TBS tomato paste
1 ½ tsp oregano
½ tsp thyme

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Instructions

For the Spaghetti Squash:

Poke a few holes in the skin of the squash using a sharp knife. Microwave the spaghetti squash for 5 minutes.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. It should slice easily since it was microwaved.
Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Rub olive oil onto the inside of the squash and season with salt and pepper.
Roast cut-side down at 400 degrees F. for 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Leave squash cut-side down on sheet pan until you are ready to serve the dish. It will continue to steam and soften.
Once spaghetti squash is cool enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the strands. Start at the outside and work your way in.

For the Meat Sauce:

Place pan on stove over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add onions. Cook until translucent.
Add ground sausage, salt and pepper to the pan. Cook until sausage is mo longer pink, using a wood spoon to break up the sausage.
Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano and basil to the pan. Stir until the tomato paste breaks apart and all the ingredients are incorporated.
Allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes. Top cooked/shredded spaghetti squash with a pile of warm meat sauce and serve immediately.

Notes

Select a spaghetti squash that is small. They are easier to cut and to work with.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Category: Easy Dinner
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories:
Sugar:
Sodium:
Fat:
Saturated Fat:
Trans Fat:
Carbohydrates:
Fiber:
Protein:
Cholesterol:

Why should I make homemade meat sauce instead of using store-bought marinara?

First, it just tastes better! Secondly, lots of store-bought sauces contain sugar and unnecessary additives. When you make a recipe from scratch you are in control of the quantity and quality of ingredients used.

Is spaghetti squash healthy?

Spaghetti squash is loaded with nutrients and is much lower in calories and carbs than traditional spaghetti noodles.

MACROS: 1 cup contains 42 calories, 10g carbs, 1g protein, .5g of fat and 2.2g fiber.

Is spaghetti squash with meat sauce Whole30 compliant?

Yes. There is no need to adapt the recipe.

Is spaghetti with meat sauce Paleo compliant?

Yes. There is no need to adapt the recipe.