Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
Serves 4

Fall is here! I know most people look forward to Fall because of pumpkin spiced
things, apples, and costumes but for me its really all about the squash. A big bin of
squash at the grocery store or farmers market is thrilling for me. Its even better
when they start to fill up our CSA box!

Out of everything in the squash family I think spaghetti squash is the most versatile
and easiest to enjoy. It’s mild flavor pairs well with almost any sauce and protein
combination and the texture isn’t as mushy as other squashes.

In our house, this dish is the perfect Monday night meal because I can do all the
heavy lifting during my Sunday meal prep time and then spend less then 15 minutes
in the kitchen heating everything up and making a salad.

Bonus, if you have just spent almost 2 hours at the vet’s office with 2 dogs that are
getting shots and you are so hungry you can’t think straight, there is no guilt in
skipping the salad. You’re already eating squash! This may have been our Monday
night recently. Needless to say, Monday night vet appointments will not be
happening again.

1 Large Spaghetti Squash
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1lb ground beef
1 32 oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 8oz can of tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 tablesoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
Parmesan cheese

Preparing the Spaghetti Squash
My least favorite part of squash is trying to break them down when they are hard as
rocks. I have never severely cut myself in the kitchen but if I ever do it will probably
happen while cutting squash. My trick for avoiding this situation is to poke several holes in the squash and microwave it for 5-10 minutes until it is soft but not mushy.

This way I can still cube or slice the squash but the risk of injury is much smaller.
For spaghetti squash you just need to cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop
out the seeds. Then rub both halves of squash with olive oil and liberally salt and
pepper them. Place the squash on a baking sheet and bake in a 425 degree oven for
about ½ hour or until you can easy shred the insides of the squash with a fork.

Preparing the sauce
I prefer to make this sauce a day or two ahead of time to allow for a long slow cook
and then some time for the flavors to come together in the fridge. I also always make
a double batch and freeze half for another time. When made ahead, this becomes a
meal you can have on the table in the time it takes to roast the spaghetti squash.
In a large, heavy bottom pot heat the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, cook the
garlic and onions until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are soft. Add the ground
beef and cook until browned. At this point, if you feel there is extra fat in the pot you
can drain it out. Be careful not to lose too much of the onion ands garlic.

Once your meat is cooked add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, sugar
and seasonings. Stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil and let simmer for as
long as you can. I suggest about 2 hours. As it cooks, taste it periodically to adjust
the salt and pepper and liquid content. You may choose to add more wine, salt or
pepper.

To serve, shred the spaghetti squash and divide into 4 servings, top each serving
with the meat sauce and Parmesan cheese. Don’t be stingy with the cheese!