Who needs pasta? 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.
Much like cauliflower, spaghetti squash is a lifesaver when you crave certain comfort foods. So, while cauliflower is the perfect substitute for rice (check out this cauliflower rice recipe), spaghetti squash is a wonderful replacement for noodles. This dish is so flavorful, rich, and comforting that I truly don't miss the real thing when I make it.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Spaghetti squash: I use a small, 2-pound squash in this recipe.
- Lean ground beef: I use a mixture of 85% lean and 15% fat. Leaner than that will be less flavorful.
- Onion: I use a small yellow onion, chopped.
- Marinara sauce: Try to find a sugar-free sauce. Rao's is a good brand.
- For garnish: Parsley and grated Parmesan.
Variations
- You can make this recipe with zucchini noodles. Simply cook them separately (skip the parmesan), then top them with the meat sauce.
- 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 into the finished sauce.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
You start by cooking the spaghetti squash in the microwave and raking a fork back and forth to create the noodle-like strands. As an alternative to using the microwave, you can bake the spaghetti squash in the oven.
Cook the ground beef and onion with salt and pepper. Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.
Ladle the meat sauce over the squash noodles, top with parsley and Parmesan, and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Since I use a store-bought marinara sauce in this recipe, I make sure to use a high-quality one. My favorite is Rao's. Its list of ingredients is short, and it contains no added sugar. I especially like the spicy arrabbiata sauce.
- While spaghetti squash is not the same as real pasta (don't we all wish it were), it is very tasty and does give you an experience quite close to that of eating noodles.
- 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.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is a complete meal of meat and vegetables, so you don't really need to serve it with anything. But sometimes, I like to add a side of steamed green vegetables or a salad, like any of the following:
You can also serve this dish with garlic bread or with buttered slices of almond flour bread.
Recipe Card
Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
Video
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:
- 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 it stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.1 spaghetti squash
- 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:
- 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.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 onion, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.2 cups marinara sauce
Finish the dish:
- Ladle the meat sauce over the squash noodles, top with parsley and parmesan, and serve.2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons parmesan
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 into 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 covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
