Spinach Meatballs with Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
Growing up in a big family had its challenges, but serving dinner on time promptly at 6 o’clock every night was never a struggle for my mom. Depending on the dish, sometimes she would start cooking at early as 4 o’clock and the time it took for her to prepare a meal was always worth it! We grew up eating a variety of dishes that each made a last impression on us. I remember her making spaghetti sauce from scratch, watching it simmer on the stovetop, and smelling the aroma of Italian herbs throughout the house. I don’t always have time to make my own sauce like my mom did and so I keep a jar of ready-made sauce in the pantry for those busy days.
Ingredients:
For meatballs –
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/4 Italian bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp powdered garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh, chopped parsley
- 8 oz bag of fresh spinach leaves
- salt & pepper, optional
For squash –
- 1 medium-size Spaghetti Squash
- olive oil, salt & pepper
- 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 unsalted butter
- 1 jar of spaghetti sauce
Directions:
Place the spinach leaves in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes. When done, set aside to cool. Once cooled, press in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water.
Rough chop the spinach and add to a large bowl with remaining meatball ingredients. Mix until well combined, then roll into 12 equal size meatballs.
In a shallow pot, or frying pan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. On medium-low heat carefully place each meatball in the pan and brown the sides.
Next, slowly pour the spaghetti sauce over the meatballs, you can also use a spoon to add the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
While the meatballs are cooking, cut your squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Then drizzle the inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Fill the dish with 1/2 inch of water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the outside of the squash is soft. You may need to cook on half at a time depending on how big the squash is.
Once cooked, set aside until the squash is cool enough to handle. Turn the squash over and scoop out the meat into a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese and butter, stir until well combined and all the butter is melted.
Serve your meatballs and sauce over the squash, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
