Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe

I have a recipe to share that is perfect for people who are on a low carb diet or just want to consume more vegetables for dinner without feeling like a rabbit. I made this “Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce” a while ago with my friends and we all enjoyed it. Some enjoyed it more than others (like me haha), but none of us can deny that it was quite satisfying despite the lack of carbs.

Spaghetti Squash can be found in almost any supermarket and its flesh is known for resembling long spaghetti strands when cooked. One cup of this awesome vegetable amounts to only 40 calories and is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and beta carotene. These nutrients/minerals help prevent heart disease, cancer, atherosclerosis, and can also help lower blood pressure.

You first have to cut up the raw spaghetti squash in half. It’ll take some muscle power but if you go slow and steady, it should be fine! It doesn’t matter if you cut it lengthwise or not. Scoop out the seeds, and place the cut side down onto a plate that has a few centimetres of water. This is to keep the squash moist during cooking process.

Pierced the squash all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Then put it in the microwave and cook it in 4 minute intervals. Any longer than four minutes and I’m scared my microwave will explode. :P Mine took about 7-8 minutes for each “half” of the squash but it really depends on the power of your microwave and size of your squash. 

If it feels slightly soft to the touch, then it is done. Don’t let it overcook or you will get soggy mushy strands!

Be careful! It will be very hot! Take a towel and hold the end of it while you scrape the flesh with a fork.

It's super fun pulling out the strands so if you have kids, you can get them to do it!

Keep on going, keep on going...

You should get quite a bit of strands from half a squash. For a family of four, I would recommend cooking one large spaghetti squash.

I made my tomato sauce by mixing “Garden Select: Parmesan and Romano” tomato sauce  (you can use whatever tomato sauce you like) and garlic and fresh tomatoes.

If the fresh tomatoes make your sauce a little sour, put in a few tablespoons of brown sugar.

I popped some frozen meatballs in the conventional oven. Hehehe... no homemade meatballs for me!

Voila! Yummy yummy pasta sauce to be served with my “spaghetti”.

I added some shredded cheese to finish it off and that’s pretty much all, folks!

The texture was noticeably different from normal spaghetti. However, it wasn’t too big of a problem for me and I quite enjoyed the overall dish. Some of my friends didn’t take a liking to it because they said it tasted ‘too healthy’. But for all of you health freaks out there, I think you’ll enjoy it!

Happy Eating!

courtesy of http://www.englishretreads.com/blog/page/2/