Baked Spaghetti Spaghetti Squash With Optional Ground Beef Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Place squash in a 13x9-in. baking pan, cut side down; add 1/2 in. of hot water. Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes. Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Bake until squash is tender, 5-10 minutes longer., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain. Add half of the garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, pasta sauce and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes., When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add remaining garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in squash, salt and remaining pepper; heat through. Serve with meat sauce and, if desired, cheese.

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Fill pan with hot water to a depth of 1/2 in. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-40 minutes or until tender. , When cool enough to handle, scoop out squash, separating strands with a fork; set shells and squash aside. , In a skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in squash. , Cook, uncovered, until liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Fill shells; place in shallow baking dish. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle the cut sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then brush both sides with olive oil. Put the squash, cut-side up, in a baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast 20 minutes, then uncover and continue roasting until the squash is tender, about 35 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Pulse the celery, carrot, onion, garlic and parsley in a food processor to make a paste. Transfer half of the vegetable paste to a bowl; add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, 1 cup parmesan and 1 teaspoon salt and mix with your hands until just combined. Form into about 24 two-inch meatballs; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm but not cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Make the sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining vegetable paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it looks dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree; rinse each can with 1 cup water and add to the pot. Stir in the basil, oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, then add the meatballs and simmer until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the basil.
• Use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash flesh into strands; transfer to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan. Season with salt. Divide the squash among bowls and top each with some meatballs, sauce and the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan.
• This recipe makes extra sauce and meatballs. Let cool completely, then freeze in a storage container for up to one month.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place squash on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with a fork.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a casserole dish.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in the green pepper, red pepper, red onion, and garlic. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
• Mix the shredded squash and tomatoes into the skillet, and season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove skillet from heat, and mix in 2 cups cheese until melted. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and continue baking 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.