Of all the posts I have shared over the years, it is my spaghetti squash with chicken, pesto, and peas that is consistently the most popular. I suppose in this Pinterest focused internet culture, it is no surprise, but it takes me off guard that a little recipe I threw together one night could reach so many people.
We live in a time where we are all struggling to eat healthy but still eat well. We want to enjoy what we eat but still watch our waistline. I am so thankful that I took a risk one day in becoming my own version of a home chef. It is in trying new things (spaghetti squash) and mixing them with familiar comfort foods (chicken and pesto) to make dinner time meals that provide a balance in this meal time dilemma.
Since my spaghetti squash recipe has been such a hit (in my own home and on the internet!) I thought I would share another version of using spaghetti squash instead of pasta.
How to cook spaghetti squash for pasta:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Spray top with cooking oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook squash for 35-45 minutes.
Once cooked and cooled, scrape out spaghetti squash with a fork.
For my version of spaghetti squash with meatballs I combinine store bought pasta sauce and frozen meatballs to spaghetti squash for an easy weeknight meal. But feel free to make your own homemade sauce and meatballs if you desire. I especially love the turkey meatball recipe from Everyday Italian if you have the extra time.
The pasta sauce and meatballs have a different consistency than my pesto recipe giving this version a more distinct spaghetti squash presence. You can do half regular spaghetti and half spaghetti squash to balance out the consistency. This is the preferred method of this recipe according to my husband. :)
Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti and Meatballs
-Spaghetti Squash
-Pasta Sauce
-Frozen Meatballs
Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Spray top with cooking oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake spaghetti squash at 450 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
Warm up sauce and meatballs on the stove or in a slow cooker.
Combine spaghetti squash with sauce and meatballs.
Enjoy!
