20 Min Low Carb Meatball Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Healthy Recipe
If you love easy... healthy... delicious meals you can practically throw together at the last minute.
You'll love this meatball stuffed spaghetti squash healthy recipe.
It can be a fast 15 minute meal when you're crunched on time...
Or a 30 minute meal if you want to get fancy and make your own meatballs.
Here's how to get this on your table fast!
Spaghetti Squash
With just 42 calories per cup, it's a low calorie pasta option that offers a lot of nutrition. But you probably knew that... this isn't new.
But it is nutritionally dense and you should use it.
Health Benefits Of Spaghetti Squash
- Vitamin C... 9% of recommended daily intake (RDI).
- Vitamin B6 8% of your recommended daily intake.
- Manganese 8% RDI
- High in beta carotene
- High in fiber... 2.2g!
Yet... the squash is just the foundation of this meal.
It's time to meat the star!
Turkey Meatballs!
Turkey meatballs are a lean alternative to ground beef and packed with protein.
Turkey isn't the most flavorful meat.
But a less flavorful meat is perfect for meatball recipes.
Why?
It allows the seasonings and the sauce to take center stage... which you want!
A Big Idea
If you're like me you'll use extra lean turkey mean.
But here's the trick...
With less fat the meat won't stay together. So make sure when you roll your meatballs... you keep the meat cold.
Your balls with remain balls this way.
Nutritional Fun Facts
(4 Oz of ground turkey)
- 128 Calories
- 16g Protein
- 7g Fat
- 0g Carbs
- 5.5% RDV Iron
Now that you know a bit about the nutrition, here's the recipe:
Meatball Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Plan Smart Eat Real
ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- Precooked turkey meatballs (purchased if you need to speed this recipe up)
- 2 cups marinara sauce (purchased or homemade)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Plan Smart Eat Real
directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.
- Microwave for 7 minutes so the squash softens.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle... place 1/4-1/2 cup of sauce in each half.
- Place meatballs in each squash (4-6 will fit).
- Pour the rest of the sauce over the meatballs.
- Bake the squash halves at 400-degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- Sprinkle each with cheese and broil for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until cheese is melted and crispy.
- Remove... sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy!.
Wait you didn't think I was going to mention homemade meatballs and keep that a secret...
Did you?
Come on. You know me better than that.
Here's just one of my homemade meatball recipes.
Homemade Turkey Meatballs
Plan Smart Eat Real
ingredients
- 1 lb Lean ground turkey
- 1/4 lb spicy sausage
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1-2 garlic cloves... minced
- 1 Tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup ground nuts (or breadcrumbs)
Plan Smart Eat Real
directions
- Mix well... get in there.
- Roll into golf ball sized meatballs.
- Heat a skillet to medium.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil.
- Place the balls around the skillet and cook for 10 minutes.
- Roll them around to lightly cook all edges.
- Don't cook them all the way through... they'll finish in the oven.
Bam!
Done!
You better make this and let me know how it turns out.
If you love this recipe, go check out my healthy French Onion soup to try next!
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