Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese Sauce

You guys all know what a huge part food plays in my life and in my home.  I love to eat, and I love the smell of delicious meals filling the air because it can make any place feel like home.  Remember the zucchini lasagna?

Well, today I have another gluten-free recipe coming at you!

And yes, it happens to be one that looks like pasta, but is actually a vegetable.

Have you ever eaten spaghetti squash before?  Apparently I was the last person on earth to know about this magical veggie!  I was ignorant to its awesomeness until I saw this post on A Beautiful Mess.

Of course I decided to try it, though I made it with meat – sorry vegetarians!  The entire recipe at A Beautiful Mess is vegetarian.  Or you can just skip the meat on this one and you’re good to go.

Ready?

So let’s take this step by step. With pictures!!

1. Get a spaghetti squash.

2. Don’t do this.  Spaghetti squash is very tough to cut through.  Try not to get your knife stuck in it like I did!

3. Remove all of the seeds with a spoon.

4. Look at your nice and clean squash!

5. Season your squash.  I covered it in olive oil, sprinkled some salt on it with dried rosemary and fresh thyme.  Spaghetti squash basically tastes like nothing, so this will help with that.  Put it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  I only made half of the squash and it made enough for about 4 people.

6. While the squash is in the oven, get started on your sauce.  Cook some garlic and half of an onion in a little bit of olive oil.  Add a can of whole tomatoes (liquid and all).

7. Add some fresh basil to your soon to be sauce.  While it simmers on medium/low heat for about 30 minutes, cook about 1lb of extra lean ground beef in a separate skillet.

8.  When you take the squash out of the oven, it will be super stinkin’ hot.  Hold it with an oven-mit or use tongs.  Run a fork through the squash and watch the magic happen.  That’s honest to goodness all you have to do.  And it looks like spaghetti.  Magical!

9. Take the onion and basil out of your tomato sauce and proceed to smush up (technical term) your tomatoes.  I left mine a little chunky, because that’s how I like it, but you can use a blender if you don’t like chunks.  Add your meat into it, mix it all up, and you’re ready to serve!

10. Eat!

TADAA!!!!

When I ate this delicious, delicious meal, it looked like this.  Yeah, that’s a ton of Parmesan cheese on it.  So good.

I know this isn’t a “proper” recipe.  I’m sorry… if you want more details on ingredients, go to the original source at A Beautiful Mess.  This is just my meaty adaptation.

I have made this meal twice now.  It’s a hit!  Have you tried this before?  Anything else I should try spaghetti squash with?

Bon Appétit!!!