Paleo meatballs in marinara with spaghetti squash

Name: Paleo meatballs in marinara with spaghetti squash
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 large (about 3 1/2 lb) spaghetti squash, the weight is the cooked strands; 1 1/2 lb ground beef (93% lean); 8 oz raw ground pork, 8% fat, lean ground pork, about 8 % fat, or the leanest you can find; 1/2 cup almond flour, blanched; 1 large egg; 1/2 small onion, grated; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes, check the label for no added sugar; 2 tsp dried basil; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp salt

Tender beef and pork meatballs with fennel, parsley and a little almond flour in place of breadcrumbs, baked until browned and then simmered in a simple garlicky marinara. Spooned over long golden strands of roasted spaghetti squash, it is the Sunday dinner, and it only gets better the next day.

Time: 85 min (25 prep + 60 cook)
Servings: 6
Per serving: 421 kcal
Protein: 38 g

Servings6

Ingredients

1 large (about 3 1/2 lb) spaghetti squash, the weight is the cooked strands

Meatballs

1 1/2 lb ground beef (93% lean)
8 oz raw ground pork, 8% fat, lean ground pork, about 8 % fat, or the leanest you can find
1/2 cup almond flour, blanched
1 large egg
1/2 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Marinara

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes, check the label for no added sugar
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Steps

Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, sprinkle the cut sides with 1 tsp salt and roast it cut side down on a lined tray for 35–40 minutes, until a fork pulls the flesh into strands.
While it roasts, mix all the meatball ingredients gently with your hands until just combined; overworking makes them tough. Roll into about 30 balls of 4 cm (1 1/2 inches), set them on a second lined tray and bake on the rack below the squash for 15 minutes, until browned.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat and soften the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomatoes, basil, oregano and salt, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the meatballs and their juices, cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until they are 160°F in the centre.
Scrape the squash into strands with a fork and pile it on plates or in bowls. Top with the meatballs and plenty of sauce. It keeps 4 days in the fridge; the meatballs and sauce freeze for 3 months.

Good to know

Can I use all beef?

Yes. Use the same total weight of 93 % lean beef and add a tablespoon of water to the mix so they stay soft, at about the same score.

No spaghetti squash in the shops?

Zucchini noodles or a mash of roasted root vegetables both work under the sauce, and the meatballs freeze well enough to make a double batch.

Alternative

51the regular versionSpaghetti and meatballs

Per

Calories: 94
Protein: (37%); 9 g
Fat: (42%); 4 g
Carbohydrates: (21%); 6 g
of which sugar: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 292 mg

More meals

Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How

As written, 2525 kcal goes into the pot and 2961 g of ingredients comes out as about 2690 g of food: 94 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.

Paleo meatballs in marinara with spaghetti squash