Stuffed Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs Marinara

A really wonderful meal to make for your whole family! I like to make it in large batches, then freeze half of it to save for an easy dinner another day!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Dairy Free Dinner, Family Meals, Whole30 Dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 396kcal

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash
8-12 meatballs
3 cups marinara sauce *see below
8-10 basil leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Giant Freezable Marinara Sauce

56 oz crushed tomatoes (2 of the larger sized cans)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 can anchovies *optional, but be sure it’s compliant
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
1 bay leaf

Baked Meatballs

1.5 lbs ground beef I usually use 85%
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tbsp coconut flour
3 tbsp water
1/2 white onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed & drained
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

Make the Spaghetti Squash

Preheat your oven to 350. Wash squash and cut in half from top to bottom. Scoop out seeds with a large spoon. Place each half face down on a cookie sheet and cover the bottom of the pan with water, about 1/2 cup. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until you can easily slide a knife through. Allow to cool slightly.
Use two forks to gently pull the squash back from the skin, fluffing it a bit. Pour 1 cup of sauce into each half and mix with the squash. Fill each half with meatballs and top with marinara sauce. Put them face up on the cookie sheet and bake for another 5-10 minutes to be hot for serving.

Cook the Marinara Sauce

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Roughly dice and onion and garlic, and add to the pan. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Add all ingredients.
Bring to a low boil and simmer uncovered 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Blend the sauce in a blender until you reach desired consistency.

Make the Baked Meatballs

Preheat oven to 350. Finely mince the onion, garlic, and parsley. Add all ingredients except the oil to a large bowl. Using your hands, gently mix together until combined.
Roll 1/4 cup portions between your hands to make golf ball sized meatballs. Place meatballs on a foil lined cookie sheet, drizzle with oil, and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

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