Meatball Parm Spaghetti Squash Casserole
I’m Italian, so meatballs are a pretty common occurrence in my house. As much as I would love to eat spaghetti and meatballs everyday, I know there are healthier options. By subbing classic meatballs for turkey meatballs, and spaghetti squash for pasta, we have ourselves a fiber filled, healthy dinner! Now THIS I could eat everyday for dinner!
Ingredients Needed
Spaghetti squash: I used two large squashes for this. It lasted us 3 days! (6 servings)
Marinara sauce: I used my homemade sauce but you can use any of your favorite pasta sauces.
Parmesan cheese: Obviously need the parm to make it meatball parm.
Mozzarella: Whole milk mozzarella will always melted better than skim milk. I also love slicing my own rather than buying it shredded.
Turkey: One pound of turkey makes 16 small meatballs.
Parsley: A must have anytime I’m making meatballs.
Egg: This helps bind everything together.
Breadcrumbs: If you are gluten free, try using almond flour instead!
Garlic: Every great meal has garlic in it!
Recipe
Ingredients
Casserole:
2 large spaghetti squash
4-5 cups marinara sauce
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese
Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 TBSP ketchup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Lightly brush the tin foil with about 1 tsp of olive oil to keep the meatballs from sticking.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half. Remove the seeds from the center. Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil and place skin side up on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until you can remove the squash with a fork.
In a large bowl, add together the ingredients for the meatballs. Mix well. Roll into 16 meatballs and place on the tin foil lined tray. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. It does not need to be fully cooked since they go back in the oven with the squash.
Scoop out the squash into a 9x13 casserole dish. Place the meatballs in the squash. Add sauce on top and mix together. (Use enough sauce that everything is coated but be aware that the squash does not soak up sauce like regular pasta does.)
Top the casserole with parmesan cheese and then slices of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly brown. Remove from heat and enjoy!
