Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

my actual day 1 recipe

Spaghetti squash is by far the most elite of the noodle-masquerading vegetables. It is simply in a league of its own. You won’t catch me squeezing water out of zucchini at any time, ever.

This is not a proper “bolognese” in that there is no red wine, tomato paste or dairy added. Sorry if you feel deceived, this actually isn’t really bolognese. This is just an excellent quick meat sauce with pesto and red pepper. It scratches the itch, and it doesn’t take hours to make.

This recipe has been my go-to for years, and it is one of the first healthy recipes I learned to make. It’s simple, easy and delicious. It’s perfect for when you’re craving something comforting and hearty, but don’t want to go the classic pasta route. It feels a little slutty, but it isn’t. Make this for you and your picky friend next Sunday.

the sauce; over steamed brocc; spaghetti squash forever

Tools:

• large glass pyrex roasting pan, or a sheet pan lined with unbleached parchment paper

• Lodge dutch oven for the sauce, or high-sided saute pan works too

• a good chef’s knife for cutting the squash (this is the best, or budget pick) — be careful!

• rubber basting brush for oiling the inside of the squash. not necessary but helpful

• cheese grater

• Find all my essential Kitchen Tools here.

Ingredients:

serves 4

• 1 large jar (24 oz) organic tomato sauce without added sugar — a high-quality marinara or tomato basil is perfect

• 1 lb grass-fed and finished*/pasture-raised ground beef

• 1 lb grass-fed and finished*/pasture raised ground bison, buffalo, pork — could also do turkey, lamb, whatever you have on hand. I used Force of Nature Bison

• 1 large spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out

• 2 T pesto, homemade or store-bought — make sure if store-bought, it’s made with olive oil and not seed oils

• 2 cloves garlic, pressed/minced

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 2 carrots, diced or grated

• ~2-3 T organic extra virgin olive oil

• organic or raw parmesan cheese from the block (or grated)

• fresh basil, for garnish

• pink salt

• freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Prep the squash. CAREFULLY cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Coat the bottom of a pyrex pan with olive oil. Brush each squash half with oil on the inside, season liberally with salt and place face down in the pan. Using a fork or sharp knife, puncture a few holes in the outer layer of each half to aid in cooking.

3. Roast the squash for ~35-45 minutes until nicely al dente—not hard or uncooked, but not soft, mushy and falling apart. A fork should be able to puncture the squash and pull away the stringy inside.

4. While the squash is cooking, make the sauce. Add 2 T of olive oil to the pot and turn the heat to medium/medium-high. Press your garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife (or mince), and add. Add the chopped onions, pepper and carrots. Sauté ~4 minutes until just beginning to soften. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. Brown the meat. Add the ground meat. Using a flat-sided spatula or wooden spoon, begin breaking up the meat for even cooking, stirring and chopping as necessary to brown all sides. For turkey or leaner cuts of meat, I add an extra tablespoon or so of olive oil.

6. Add the tomato sauce and pesto. Stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

7. When the squash is done, flip both halves over and let them sit a second so you can handle them without a lot of drama. Use oven mitts, if needed.

8. To serve, use a fork to scrape out the squash into bowls. Top with sauce, lots of freshly grated parm, and fresh basil. Enjoy!

*why grass-fed AND finished? companies try to get away with such wild claims on packaging, so it’s important to be specific when checking these boxes. “grass-fed” alone usually means the animal was allowed to graze for a small period of time at the beginning of life, then transitioned to a highly processed, grain-fed, diet for the remainder and vast majority of life. the addition of “finished” means the animal was permitted to graze and adopt natural behaviors it’s whole life, increasing the quality of the meat enormously. Read "Does Organic Really Matter?” for more on this. My favorite brand to purchase high-quality meat is Force of Nature. Also, Hudson and Charles in NYC has amazing high-quality meat products.