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Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce is a healthy, low carb and gluten free meal that still tastes like delicious comfort food.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce

It’s a New Year! Time for some healthy recipes after weeks (ok, maybe months) of eating sweets nearly every day.

This Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce is a healthy, low carb and gluten-free meal, but it still tastes like delicious comfort food.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce #glutenfree #healthy #lowcarb

The sauce is super thick and made from lean ground turkey meat to keep the calories and fat low. To make this recipe as low fat as possible be sure to use ground turkey that is made from all or mostly white meat.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce #healthy #glutenfree #lowcarb

Go heavy on the red pepper flakes if you like. Who knows? It may speed up your metabolism.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce #glutenfree #lowcarb #healthy

Substituting spaghetti squash for pasta really works for me because I’m partial to the sauce part of a pasta dish. Whatever is underneath the sauce is just something to eat it with. Because I would feel like a weirdo if I just ate a bowl of sauce.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce #glutenfree #healthy #lowcarb

If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash as a sub for pasta, you really should. It’s very healthy and really quite delicious.

Plus, it is so much fun to run a fork across a cooked spaghetti squash and watch all those hundreds of threads separate. Spaghetti squash gets my vote for coolest vegetable ever. 🙂

For another low carb meal, try these zucchini noodles.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce #glutenfree #lowcarb #healthy

 

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash topped with a spicy meat sauce made from ground turkey is a healthy, flavorful, gluten free and low carb meal.
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 45 minutes
TOTAL: 55 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large spaghetti squash or two smaller
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey breast
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • salt and pepper
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Rub 1/2 tablespoon olive oil onto the cut side of squash and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet and cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender all the way through.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Add turkey and garlic and cook until turkey is cooked through, breaking into pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and add Italian seasoning.
  • Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine everything. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and more salt and pepper if necessary.
  • Scrape out insides of spaghetti squash with a fork. Serve topped with meat sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Cook the spaghetti squash until tender, but careful not to overcook. It will get mushy.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal
Author: Christin Mahrlig
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American

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20 thoughts on “Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce”

  1. Never Had Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese Sauce Before Sound Yummy, But i Have Made It With Alfredo Sauce was Delicious. Great Post!

  2. I don’t think I could ever give up my noodles and sub in spaghetti squash. I might have to try this though. 🙂

  3. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    I never have tried spaghetti squash in replacement of pasta before.. so I am definitely curious to know what it tastes like. In saying that though, this does look incredibly delicious!

  4. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    oh my goodness, I love this Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Meat Sauce!!! YES to healthy and low carb!!! this is all I’ll be eating (or trying to) this month! Happy New year!!! way to start it off right!!

  5. Bam's Kitchen

    Beautiful dish and deliciously hearty. I sure wish they shipped spaghetti squash to Hong Kong, well until then I can just gaze at your gorgeous photos and pin them for later.

  6. Isadora @ she likes food

    The light in this photo is awesome! I’ve been eating so much spaghetti squash lately and I love the spicy sauce you put on this! I guess it is time to go buy some more spaghetti squash 🙂

  7. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor

    I love that you shared this recipe today because I have been craving spaghetti squash. Topping it off with spicy meat sauce sounds perfect. Happy New Year, Christin!

  8. Yessss – I love running the fork across the spaghetti squash! haha It’s so fun!

    And this looks delicious – we love lots of red pepper flakes in our sauce! 🙂

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      Haha! It like magic! Pop a solid squash in the oven and it turns into strands. It always amazes me.

  9. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl

    Goodness, that meat sauce looks incredible! I’ll have to eat a few spoonfuls of it to taste beforehand.. you know? 😉 Happy 2015!

  10. Renee@Two in the Kitchen

    Happy New Year Christin!! I love the idea of substituting the spaghetti squash!! It looks so light and appealing!! YUM! 🙂

  11. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    Your pictures are mouth-watering, Christin! I’ve always wanted to try spaghetti squash and I think I found the perfect recipe! Pinned!

  12. Carol t Wild Gooese Tea

    I love spaghetti squash. I don’t even consider it a squash actually. Ha! It’s in a class of it’s own. I love it
    with the this sauce.

  13. Jess @ whatjessicabakednext

    I’ve wanted to try spaghetti squash for SO long now! This looks super scrummy and delicious! Love the meatball sauce, so good!

  14. Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven

    I am seriously SO excited to try this squash! I love spaghetti squash, but never thought to top it with a meat sauce! This is going on our dinner menu. 🙂 Gorgeous photos too, Christin!

  15. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness

    Now this is how I want to kick off resolutions! I LOVE spaghetti squash, and that meat sauce is perfectly protein-packed goodness! Pinned 🙂

  16. Happy Happy New Year, Christin! This looks amazing! I am ready for healthier eating after all the sugar I had over the holidays too! Love that you used spaghetti squash to replace the pasta and the spicy meat sauce sounds perfect!

  17. Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen

    If healthy eating in the new year looks like this, I can totally do it! I can’t believe I haven’t tried spaghetti squash as a pasta substitute, but this recipe makes me want to! Love all of that spicy meat sauce! Happy New Year!

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