Spaghetti Squash with Italian Meatballs

These Gluten Free Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash are a perfect low carb option if you are watching your carb intake. Substitute your spaghetti with Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs for a healthy gluten free meatball recipe.

Easily convert this recipe with the meat of your choice to make meatballs with ground chicken or meatballs with ground turkey or any ground meat you like.

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Skip the spaghetti squash and make these gluten free meatballs with these Gluten Free Gnocchi.

How to Make Your Meatballs Gluten Free and Dairy Free

What's a Good Substitute for Bread Crumbs?

A great substitute for bread crumbs is dehydrated potatoes. The kind you use to make instant mashed potatoes. I keep instant potatoes on hand all of the time to use in recipes like these Stuffed Bell Peppers.

What Can I Use to Replace Cheese in Meatballs?

This is a good question. Only Whole30ers will understand this question. To replace the cheese for this recipe of Italian Meatballs you can substitute grated cheese with ground cashews. But trust me, you won't need them.

Of course, if you are not on Whole30, there is no need for you to replace the cheese. Just go ahead and use ½ cup of your favorite parmesan cheese.

Ingredients Needed to Make Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs

• Ground Meat
• Instant Potatoes (dehydrated potato flakes)
• Salt
• Dried Basil
• Spaghetti Squash
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• Egg
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Parsley (optional)
• Almond Milk

See recipe card for details.

Not everyone adds parsley to their meatballs. So I've left this totally optional as to whether you want to add it or not.

What Type of Meat do You Use for Meatballs?

Traditionally, my mother made her meatballs with a combination of beef and pork. This combination results in a tasty meatball. But, you can use any type of ground meat including: chicken, turkey, veal, venison, etc... Veal is my preferred for a tender gluten free meatball.

How to Prepare Spaghetti Squash

If you've reached this page, then you are probably wondering what is the best way to prepare roast spaghetti squash. Don't worry, I've got your covered. Here are some simple steps to follow:

Note: You are going to cut the squash lengthwise.

1. Using a butcher knife, poke a whole in the center of the squash and slide it in and down the side. You may need to press firmly down. Take the knife out.
2. Reposition the knife where you left off and repeat step 1.
3. Keep repeating until you have done one side all the way down to the butt of the squash.
4. Turn around and repeat steps 1 to 3.
5. Once you have cut all the way around, using your hands pull the squash open.
6. Using a fork scrape out the seeds and discard them.

How to Cook Squash

Once you have cut open the squash and cleaned out the seeds, follow these simple steps to cook your squash. These steps work for any type of squash.

1. Prepare a baking pan or cookie tray by lining it with aluminum foil.
2. Season the inside of the squash with a little bit of salt.
3. Lay the squash open side down on the baking dish.
4. Depending on how large your baking dish is, pour ½ cup to 1 cup of water on to the baking dish making sure that the bottom of the tray is covered with water.
5. You want just enough water to create steam underneath the squash.
6. Place in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes.
7. You know it is done when you can easily poke a fork through the skin easily.

Let cool for about 20 minutes. To serve the spaghetti squash, use a fork to scrape the squash out of the shell and place into plates or a larger serving dish.

If you are making your spaghetti squash ahead of time, you can freeze it and then thaw it out overnight when you are ready to use it.

Instructions on How to Make Tomato Sauce and Italian Meatballs

Making Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce has got to be one of the simplest sauces to make. Since I'm in Canada, the majority of my tomato puree comes from the grocery store.

I don't have a preference, sometimes I buy jarred tomato pure or sometimes it's canned.

Canned or jarred tomato sauce is always thicker than fresh tomato puree. For this reason, I always add a bit of water because I know I'm going to be simmering the sauce for a while and some of the liquid will evaporate.

In addition, for this sauce, I didn't use tomato paste. When you are cooking a fatty meat in your sauce, the fat tends to thicken up the sauce naturally.

In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic in some olive oil. Add tomato puree once the garlic is fragrant smelling. Use water to remove any remnants of tomato puree from your jar and pour into sauce pan.

Add dried basil, bring to a boil and then simmer the sauce on low while covered.

Making the Gluten Free Meatballs

Start making your meatballs. In a medium bowl add the ground veal and add eggs, salt, potato flakes, almond milk, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, cheese (optional). Mix gently, do not over mix.

Grab a spoonful and roll meatballs with your hands and then place them in the sauce one by one. Evenly distribute the meatballs in the sauce and avoid placing them on top of one another.

Do not stir the meatballs for about 10 minutes. This will allow them to firm up. Stir and let simmer for 40 minutes. Stir meatballs and sauce occasionally.

Top Tip

Drain your spaghetti squash on any water. When you are ready to serve, heat up your spaghetti squash in a frypan with a little bit of olive oil. Transfer it to a serving dish and serve with your meatballs and tomato sauce.

HINT: Drain your spaghetti squash of excess water so that the tomato sauce will cling to the squash instead of seep down to the bottom of your plate.

Equipment Recommended to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs

The right equipment has a big impact on your cooking results. For this recipe you will need a cook non-stick medium saucepan, wooden spatulas and a good knife to cut the spaghetti squash. You'll also need good quality baking sheets to prepare your spaghetti squash.

Storage Recommendations

Cooked spaghetti squash stores well in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Just make sure that you are storing it in an airtight container. If freezing your spaghetti squash, place it in a colander to eliminate excess water. Squeeze the squash as well to ensure the majority of the water has been expressed.

Leftover meatballs also store well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. They also freeze well. Thaw them out overnight when you are ready to use them up.

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Recipe Details

Whole30 Meatballs

AmyG

These Gluten Free Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash are a perfect low carb option if you are watching your carb intake. Substitute your spaghetti with Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs for a healthy gluten free meatball recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Additional Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Whole30

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 699 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Squash

• 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup water

Meatballs

• ½ cup parmesan cheese or for Whole30 ½ cup cashews soaked in ½ cup water for an hour (Optional)
• 454 g ground veal or meat of your choice
• 1 egg
• ¼ almond milk
• ½ cup of potato flakes instant mashed potatoes or breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch ground pepper
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 stalk parsley optional

Sauce

• 750 ml tomato puree if using store bought add ½ to 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried basil or you can use fresh basil
• pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Spaghetti Squash
• Prepare a baking pan or cookie tray by lining it with aluminum foil.
• Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Season the meat of the squash with a little bit of salt.
• Lay the squash with the meat face down on the baking dish.
• Depending on how large your baking dish is, pour ½ cup to 1 cup of water on to the baking dish making sure that the bottom of the tray is covered with water.
• You want just enough water to create steam underneath the squash.
• Place in 350°F oven for about 45 minutes.
• You know it is done when you can easily poke a fork through the skin easily.
• Let cool for about 20 minutes. To serve the spaghetti squash, use a fork to scrape the squash out of the shell and place into plates or a larger serving dish.
• If you wish you can freeze the squash in an airtight container for later. Thaw out in refrigerator overnight when you are ready to use it.
• Sauce
• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Fry garlic until fragrant.
• Add tomato puree and salt and pepper.
• Add water if the tomato puree is thick or use water to wash out any tomato puree stuck in the bottle and pour into saucepan. Bring to boil.
• Turn down heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Meatballs
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and using your hand mix together. Do not over mix as overmixing will cause the mixture to get tough when cooked.
• Using your hands grab some meat about the size of a walnut or a little bigger and squeeze together to make a ball. Roll gently in your hands to tuck in loose ground bits.
• As the sauce is boiling, place the meatballs, gently, in the sauce one by one as you make them. Avoid laying meatballs on top of one another.
• Repeat until you have used up all the ground mixture.
• Bring sauce and meatballs to a gentle boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes before you stir. Use a wooden spoon taking care not to break them. You want them evenly coated with sauce.
• Turn down heat to a gentle simmer.
• Let simmer for 45 minutes, checking on them occasionally.
• If you want to add basil, add it to the sauce once you have taken it off the heat.
• Putting It All Together
• Squeeze and drain as much of the liquid from the spaghetti squash. You can place all of the spaghetti squash in a large bowl and then pour some tomato sauce over it and arrange the meatballs around the squash.
• You can place the meatballs in a serving dish and serve. For the squash, you can place some spaghetti sauce in a pan, heat it up and place the spaghetti squash in the pan mixing the squash with the sauce to combine. Then serve in individual dishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 3MeatballsCalories: 699kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 44gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1693mgFiber: 9gSugar: 18g

Keyword gluten free meatballs, paleo, spaghetti and meatballs, whole30

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