Well, did you all think I fell off the face of the Earth? I guess I kind of did. Ya know, sometimes life just happens and you have to be there for it and things like food blogs have to take a back seat. I’m a busy working mom of 3 kids and I love it. That’s my first priority. Don’t worry, I’m still completely obsessed with food and creating healthy meals and treats. It might just be shared a little less often. 🙂 But as Matia will say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. 🙂
Anyway, I have another recipe for you to make with all the yummy harvest food you see in the stores and in your gardens right now! I just finished pulling all the rest of the squash out of mine yesterday. It makes me kind of sad, but a little relieved at the same time. 🙂 This is a super delicious and healthy homemade alternative to regular lasagna (not that I don’t love that, too). I even came up with a homemade spaghetti seasoning herb mix for the meat sauce that you can use for regular spaghetti! So here we go:
First, we will start with the meat sauce. I use lean ground turkey, but you could use ground beef if you prefer. Brown your meat in a large skillet. While the meat is browning, mix up your herbs for the seasoning in a small dish. When the meat is about cooked through, open your cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Add a small spoonful of the tomato sauce from the can to your bowl of mixed herbs and stir completely. It will be a little pastey, but this is so that the corn starch won’t be lumpy. Then scrape all the seasoning mixture along with the open cans of sauce and tomatoes into the skillet with the meat. Add the olive oil and fresh basil. Stir completely and let simmer for a few minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350. While the meat sauce is finishing cooking, mix together your cheese mixture, or white sauce, if you will. Cut open 2 medium sized spaghetti squashes and scrape out the insides until it looks like a hollow bowl leaving the fleshy part of the squash. I only show one squash here in the picture (making two servings) but the recipe uses two to make four servings.
Add 1/4 of the cheese mixture to each squash bowl.
Then add the meat mixture on top of that.
This meat sauce makes enough for about 5-6 servings so you can use it all up and have lots of sauce or save some for some noodles in the fridge. Sprinkle the top with extra mozzarella and Parmesean cheese. Cover with a piece of tin foil.
Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes and then take off the foil and finish baking another 10-20 minutes until the spaghetti squash is fork tender. Let it cool slightly before you dig in and then go wild and scrape it clean! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs of lean ground turkey or beef (I use turkey)
- 2 medium spaghetti squashes
- FOR THE SAUCE HERB MIXTURE:
- 1 t corn starch
- 2 t oregano
- 1 t sugar
- 1 t onion powder
- 2 t salt (I like to use coarse Kosher)
- 3 t minced garlic
- 1/2 t ground pepper
- OTHER SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the petite diced the best)
- 1/4 C fresh chopped basil
- FOR THE CHEESE MIXTURE:
- 1 C cottage cheese
- 1 C mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 T Parmesan cheese
- 1 T fresh basil
- Top with additional mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- First, we will start with the meat sauce. I use lean ground turkey, but you could use ground beef if you prefer. Brown your meat in a large skillet. While the meat is browning, mix up your herbs for the seasoning in a small dish. When the meat is about cooked through, open your cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Add a small spoonful of the tomato sauce from the can to your bowl of mixed herbs and stir completely. It will be a little pasty, but this is so that the corn starch won't be lumpy. Then scrape all the seasoning mixture along with the open cans of sauce and tomatoes into the skillet with the meat. Add the olive oil and fresh basil. Stir completely and let simmer for a few minutes.
- While that is finishing cooking, mix together your cheese mixture, or white sauce, if you will. Cut open 2 medium sized spaghetti squashes and scrape out the insides until it looks like a hollow bowl leaving the fleshy part of the squash.
- Add 1/4 of the cheese mixture to each squash bowl. Then add the meat mixture on top of that. This meat sauce makes enough for about 5-6 servings so you can use it all up and have lots of sauce or save some for some noodles in the fridge. Sprinkle the top with extra mozzarella and Parmesean cheese. Cover with tin foil. Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes and then take the foil off and finish baking for another 10-20 minutes until the spaghetti squash is fork tender. Let it cool slightly before you dig in and then go wild and scrape it clean!
I use Ricotta cheese in place of Cottage cheese.
can it be frozen after it is cooked I am the only one who eats this. and would like to freeze one for a later meal
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I’m sure it would freeze fine after it was cooked. I have made a couple at a time before and then had them in the fridge for a few days and eat them for my lunches. 🙂
I know this is a silly question but how on earth do you manage to cut your spaghetti squash in half? What brand/type of knife do you use? I have tried before and I feel like I will lose all my fingers before I chop the squash in half, haha!
Thanks!
Cutting those darn squashes in half is really hard! I know exactly what you mean! 🙂 I finally got some new knives last year and it has made all the difference. I got some Henckel kinves and I love them, but even with them, sometimes I have to have my husband cut them. Sorry I wish I knew a better way but it is tough! One suggestion I would try is maybe cooking your squash whole in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes to soften it a bit and then try to cut it. But what ever you do don’t lose any fingers!! 🙂
I find it is really easy if you slice your knife into the squash as if you were cutting it in half. Then place in microwave for about 5 minutes on high and that totally softens the skin. It’s just that easy.
Yes!! I always microwave my squash for 8 min with fork holes all over it. Then cut it. Makes all the difference!!
My neice taught me to microwave the squash for 2 mins and it makes cutting it easier.
Omgsh I used to have this problem! Then I learned if you just put them in the microwave for 2-3 mins (depending on how large the squash is) it makes them much easier to cut through! Hope that helps!
My trick is to use a large kitchen knife that isn’t expensive… bought mine at Ross for $10. I then start it into the squash, and take a hammer to lightly tap it down. Works like magic.
A 12″ blade chef’s nice is a staple in any kitchen to chop, dice, mince or split/cut big items like squash, watermelon, etc. My knifes date back from my cooking days and were expensive (Victorinox & Henkel). I suggest investing in one good knife.
I made this recipe yesterday. Delicious! Staple now in our home.
good post
good post
Hi there. This looks delicious. I was wondering do you know the Nutritional information for this?
Hello! Sorry, I didn’t weigh it out last time I made it, but I will next time and update the recipe!
Can you make the cheese mix and meat mix day before and refrigerate?
Oh yes for sure. 🙂
I’m not sure why, but my squash took almost an hour to took! They weren’t particularly big, and i follow the instructions exactly. Are you supposed to precook the squash at all?
It can really depend on the squash and how “ripe” it is. You can definitely try precooking it if it always seems to take too long. Maybe 20 minutes in the oven first, or even in the microwave for 6-8 minutes before.
I made this recipe yesterday and her cooking time is off: squash takes at least an hour to cook. I used convection at 425C, rather than “standard” baking at 350C. Problem solved.
The only thing I would do is pre coom the squash a bit, then fill and cook. Yum!!
Beginner question : what can i do with lots of leftover cheese mix?
Do you throw away the inside or the squash- how people often will scrape away the inners to make a substitute for spaghetti, or are you just scooping out the seeds and leaving the rest intact for eating with the meat sauce?
You are just scraping out the seeds but leaving the flesh to bake and eat with the filling . 🙂
Very tasty recipe. I didn’t think my husband will like it, he loves it! I have made it twice. Thank you!
Oh Yay! I’m so glad you both liked it. Thank you!
Do you know the nutrition facts?! Can’t wait to try this!!
Sorry, Christi!
I don’t have them calculated for this one yet, but I will post next time I make it and can weigh everything out!
Looks so good! Do you think I can get away with leaving the egg out (we have an egg allergy in the house)?
Yummm. Just finished enjoying this for dinner. I only ate a half of a half tonight and found it satisfying. Getting back on the low carb train and I’ll happily make this again!