Baked Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs.

This baked spaghetti squash and meatballs is a lovely weeknight meal! Roasted spaghetti squash tossed with marinara, mozzarella cheese and browned meatballs, baked until cheese and melty and golden. Delicious!

I’m all about the cozy dishes right now!

This spaghetti squash and meatball bake is amazing. It can’t be beat. It’s so delicious, hearty and perfect for the season as the weather cools down and we bring out all the sweaters and scarves. 

We loooove spaghetti squash season! I mean, sure, technically it can be found in every season these days. But the fall will forever have me craving spaghetti squash. After roasting, the squash is so nutty and flavorful. I have no interest in using it as a substitute for pasta – I love to use it for its own flavor and purpose. The kids love it too! 

Here’s just a few of our favorites: spaghetti squash parmesan, fire roasted spaghetti squash, buffalo chicken spaghetti squash, broccoli cheddar spaghetti squash, lemon butter spaghetti squash and three cheese spaghetti squash. YUM.

This meal is pretty darn easy – roast your squash, brown some meatballs, bring it all together with marinara and cheese. I make baked spaghetti often, it’s a highly requested dish in this house. So I knew it would be perfect with the tender strands of spaghetti squash. 

Deeeeelish.

This is how it comes together! If you go in this order, you’ll have it made fairly efficiently and quickly. 

I slice the squash and prep it to bake! This means remove all the seeds (my favorite way to do this is with a serrated spoon!), add a sprinkle of salt, a drizzle of olive oil and flip it cut-side down on a pan. I roast mine for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size. 

Then I start the meatballs! I make the meatball mixture, roll them into balls and begin to brown them in the pan. You want them to be golden and seared on all sides, but they don’t have to be cooked through. They will finish cooking in the oven. 

By the time the meatballs are browning, the squash is just finishing up. I let it cool until I can comfortably touch it and then use a fork to pull out the squash strands. 

I think this is most delicious when it is layered with marinara. So I spread some marinara on the bottom of a baking dish and I’ll add the scraped squash noodles on top of it. 

Then come our meatballs! I nestle them in with the spaghetti squash. I do another good layer of marinara then sprinkle on lots of cheese. It’s time bake!

I bake until the dish is melty and cheesy and golden brown. Then add a sprinkling of fresh herbs and it’s done!

This is SO comforting and wonderful. Eddie said he could eat it every single week. 

Now, you probably can use frozen meatballs for this. I haven’t tried, but I suggest baking for the time that it’s called for on the packaging. You can also use any variety of meat for this: pork, chicken, beef, turkey – any of it. 

Just look at that cheesy perfection!

The leftovers are also incredible! They reheat great and are just as delicious. Very much like traditional baked spaghetti – the flavors get even better as they sit.

And my family just LOVES meals like this – where everything is in one dish. For some reason, the meatballs and squash served together like this is better than cooking them separately.

This will be on repeat all season long.

Baked Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Baked Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Yield: 4 people

Prep Time: 50 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

This baked spaghetti squash and meatballs is a lovely weeknight meal! Roasted spaghetti squash tossed with marinara, mozzarella cheese and browned meatballs, baked until cheese and melty and golden. Delicious!

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5 from 15 votes

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Ingredients

• 2 medium spaghetti squash
• olive oil or olive oil spray
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 32 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 ½ cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
• crushed red pepper, for topping
• fresh basil, for topping

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
• Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Spray or brush the cut sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the squash and let it cool until it’s comfortable to touch.
• While the squash is roasting, mix up the meatballs. Combine the beef, garlic, egg, parmesan, basil, parsley, breadcrumbs and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Form into meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches in size. Place the meatballs on a plate.
• Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown all over. They do not need to be completely cooked through because they will cook in the oven!
• Spread ¾ cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Use a fork to pull the strands of spaghetti squash from the skin and place them in the baking dish. Top the squash with the meatballs and add the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. I also like to add another sprinkle of parmesan cheese here too.
• Bake for 20 more minutes so everything comes together. Sprinkle with more parmesan, fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

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Cheese is my middle name.