Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti with Goat Cheese Marinara and Meatballs
Savory marinara with rich goat cheese, hearty meatballs, and tender spaghetti squash come together in this delicious Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti with Goat Cheese Marinara & Meatballs will be your new weeknight go-to dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 370kcal
Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
- 2 large spaghetti squash
Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- handful fresh basil chiffonade
Goat Cheese Marinara
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 30 ounces tomato sauce
- 15 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- ½ yellow onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ounces goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
Preparing Squash
- Prepare your squash by washing the outside. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. I can't stress enough that you need a sharp knife. The rind can be tough. Once it is sliced, you want to scoop the seeds from the middle and discard. Think carving a pumpkin.
- Rub the inside of the squash with a little olive oil. Bake face down in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and use a fork to remove the flesh. It will pull into strands or noodles!
Meatballs
- Combine ground beef, ground pot, breadcrumbs, egg, basil, parmesan, onion salt, black pepper, and water in a large bowl.
- Using clean hands, combine all ingredients.
- Roll into one inch balls.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet.
- Cook meatballs over medium high heat, turning to cook on all sides.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Marinara
- Add olive oil to a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and carrots. Cook until tender.
- Pour in fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, and salt to your skillet. Stir to combine and simmer.
- Melt in goat cheese.
- Add prepared meatballs to sauce and simmer 20 minutes.
- Serve over prepared spaghetti squash.
Notes
Pro Tip #1: You can have the butcher at your grocery store cut your squash in half for you.
Pro Tip #2: Use a cookie scoop to portion your meatballs and then roll in your hands. If they are all a uniform size, they will cook evenly.
Pro Tip #3: Use an onion chopper to dice your onion. You can also buy pre-shredded carrots.
Other methods of cooking spaghetti squash:
Microwave: Prepare squash the same as above, but fill microwave safe pan with about an inch of water. Microwave for 10-15 minutes. Boiling: Place whole squash in a large pot with water. Do not overfill. The squash will float, so give it a turn every 10 minutes so that it cooks evenly. Simmer the squash over low heat with the lid slightly off the pot until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Carefully drain in a colander and cut in half crosswise before discarding the seeds and transferring the flesh to a serving bowl.Other methods of cooking meatballs:
Oven: Place meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake in a 400 degree oven until cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Pressure Cooker: Insert the trivet into your pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of water. Add meatballs to the pot. You can layer them on top of each other. Cook for 15 minutes. Use a quick release to release the pressure.Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 918mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 6402IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 4mg