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Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

This rich and flavorful spaghetti squash with meat sauce tastes like you've been cooking it for hours, but it's ready in less than an hour.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 407 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash small, 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 85/15
  • 1 onion small, chopped; 4 ounces
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan grated

Instructions

Prepare the squash:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Pierce the spaghetti squash in a few spots with a sharp knife. Microwave for 5 minutes; turn to the other side and microwave for 5 more minutes, until soft to the touch. Let stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes until easier to handle. Scoop out the pulp and seeds from the center, then rake a fork back and forth to remove strands of the flesh onto a serving bowl. Set aside.
Cook the sauce:
  1. Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the beef, onions, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef as you cook, until the beef is no longer raw, for about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Finish the dish:
  1. Ladle the meat sauce over the squash noodles, top with parsley and parmesan, and serve.

Notes

  • Cooking spaghetti squash in the microwave can produce mushier results than roasting it in the oven. To minimize mushiness, it's important not to overcook the squash. If it does end up overcooked, simply place the squash halves, cut side down, on a clean towel for a few minutes. This will help absorb some of the extra liquid.
  • When cooking the ground beef and onions, you can add ½ cup of sliced mushrooms.
  • For a richer sauce, stir in ¼ cup of room-temperature heavy cream to the finished sauce.
  • Since I use a store-bought marinara sauce in this recipe, I make sure to use a high-quality sauce - it will obviously have a significant impact on the final result. My favorite is Rao's. Its list of ingredients is short, and it contains no added sugar. I especially like the spicy arrabbiata sauce.
  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.25recipe Calories 407kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 24g (48%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Sodium 624mg (26%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 7g (14%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 407

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.25recipe
Calories 407kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 24g 48%
Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Sodium 624mg 26%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 7g 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.