Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs
For a lighter take on spaghetti and meatballs, try this roasted spaghetti squash recipe. Lean beef and bulgur meatballs mix with fire-roasted tomatoes for a tasty and nutritious topping that will make you skip your standard spaghetti recipes this week.
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Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat inside of the spaghetti squash with cooking spray. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake about 50 minutes or until squash is soft. Let cool slightly. Use a fork to separate the strands of squash.
- Meanwhile, for meatballs, place bulgur in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over bulgur; let stand about 20 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed. Add egg, ground beef, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning. Mix to combine. Shape into 1-inch meatballs.
- Lightly coat a very large skillet with cooking spray; heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to hot skillet; cook until browned, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Add tomatoes, sugar, crushed red pepper (if desired), the salt, and the remaining 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken and meatballs are cooked through (160 degrees F).*
- Serve meatballs and sauce over squash. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, sprinkle with basil.
From the Test Kitchen
*Tip:
The internal color of a meatball is not a reliable doneness indicator. A beef meatball cooked to 160 degrees F is safe, regardless of color. To measure the doneness of a meatball, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the meatball.
Nutrition Facts (Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs)
- Per serving:
- 281 kcal ,
- 8 g fat
- (3 g sat. fat ,
- 1 g polyunsaturated fat ,
- 1 g monounsaturated fat ),
- 75 mg chol. ,
- 809 mg sodium ,
- 32 g carb. ,
- 6 g fiber ,
- 13 g sugar ,
- 22 g pro.