Home > Dinner > Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs October 23, 2019 | 4 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Easy sheet pan Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs and marinara sauce. A delicious low-carb and healthful dinner! Pair this delicious dinner with some homemade Dinner Rolls and a big Italian Salad! Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs It’s been a bit since I’ve shared a sheet pan recipe and I’m so excited to be sharing this wholesome, low-carb, and low-calorie one today. Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs can be made on two sheet pans — one pan for the squash and one for the meatballs. Use parchment paper for easy cooking and cleanup in this recipe. Parchment paper makes cooking, baking, and especially clean up so much better. I encourage using it in any recipe where food is placed on a tray. How to cook spaghetti squash Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite veggies! And this is my favorite way to cook it for tender shreds of slightly caramelized squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (easy clean-up!). Prick the squash down the center with a fork and microwave for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and then use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut the squash in half. Use a large spoon to scoop out the spaghetti squash seeds and discard them. Drizzle the insides of each squash half with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until interiors are easily pierced through with a fork. Time variance depends on the size of the squash. Once the squash is done baking, fluff the interiors with a fork to make squash “spaghetti.” If you’ve never done this before, be prepared to be amazed! QUICK TIP Spaghetti squash, like many squash, has a really hard outer shell. So make it easier to cut, cook in the microwave for a few minutes. That brief cooking time will be enough to soften the shell and make cutting the squash much easier! How to make turkey meatballs These turkey meatballs come together easily — we’re adding everything to a large bowl and kneading to combine the ingredients. Then it’s time to roll the meat into balls. And to keep ball sizes consistent, I recommend using a small ice cream scoop or 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) measuring cup. For this recipe, you should get around 28 to 29 meatballs. (When cooking a batch of meatballs with several different sizes, smaller meatballs will end up dry and overcooked, while the larger ones will end up undercooked.). Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs– tips Keep the ground turkey as cold as possible. Ground turkey is easiest to form into meatballs when it’s cold. Take it out of the fridge right when you need it and be careful to not overwork it (which will also warm it up). Use a microplane. I recommend grating Parmesan cheese and garlic on a microplane to get the best texture and even distribution of ingredients in these meatballs. Use a good-quality marinara sauce. If you prefer, make your own. Don’t forget to taste and season. Each component of this dish (the squash, marinara, and turkey meatballs) should be independently seasoned, but don’t forget to give everything a taste together and adjust seasonings. More delicious sheet pan recipes One-pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Veggies One-pan Mini Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies Reader Favorite: one-pan Italian Sausage and Veggies One pan Chicken and Spinach Gnocchi One pan Baked Fish and Chips FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe Easy sheet pan Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs and marinara. A delicious low-carb and healthful dinner! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Easy sheet pan Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs and marinara. A delicious low-carb and healthful dinner! Course Dinner, Main Course Cuisine American Keyword spaghetti squash, turkey meatballs Prep Time 40 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes Servings 4 large servings Calories 353kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $7.12 EquipmentReynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper IngredientsTurkey Meatballs▢ 1 large yellow onion, grated (and measured to 2/3 cup)▢ 3 garlic cloves, finely minced▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (not smoked)▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH: oregano, basil, freshly cracked pepper▢ 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped▢ 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (on a microplane)▢ 1/2 cup panko (or regular breadcrumbs)▢ 1 large egg▢ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce▢ 1 and 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey (90% lean)Spaghetti Squash▢ 2 small to medium spaghetti squash▢ olive oil, salt, and pepper▢ 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)▢ Optional toppings: fresh Italian parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheeseUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsSPAGHETTI SQUASH: Pierce the squash down the middle of one side with the tines of a fork. Place on a plate (one at a time) and microwave for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool until able to handle. Cut off the stem and base with a sharp knife. Then cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Drizzle each side of squash with oil (I use about 1 tablespoon per squash half) and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan, cut side down. Roast for 35-45 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven or until fork tender (easily pierced with a fork).MEATBALLS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using the large holes on a cheese grater, grate an onion until you have ⅔ cup. Add to a very large bowl. Finely mince or grate the garlic on a microplane and add to the bowl. Add the salt, paprika, oregano, basil, pepper, finely chopped parsley (measured after chopping), finely grated Parmesan cheese (I like to use a microplane here to grate the Parmesan), panko, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Add in the ground turkey, straight from the fridge. (Keep the turkey as cold as possible, as it's easier to work with.) Gently knead the ingredients until combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. This will yield tough/rubbery meatballs.MEATBALLS CONT.: Shape the meat mixture into meatballs. I use a ⅛ measuring cup (2 tablespoons) or a cookie scoop to ensure meatballs all end up the same size. Place measured balls on a large plate and refrigerate the first half while forming the last half of the meat into meatballs.BAKING: Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper--don't skip this step or clean up will be a lot harder! Place a wire cooling rack right on top and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange meatballs on the rack. Brush the meatballs with oil (about 2-3 teaspoons total). Bake until browned, on the top rack of the oven, about 15 to 20 minutes. A thermometer should read 160 degrees F. (Carry over heat will increase it to 165 degrees F.)SERVE: Using a fork, pull the strands from the cooled squash and transfer to a plate or serve right in the shell of the squash. Prepare marinara (about 3 cups, homemade or commercially prepared); toss meatballs with marinara and top squash with the meatballs. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add additional cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil to plates if desired. Nutrition FactsServing: 4large servings | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 2146mg | Potassium: 1200mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1323IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 4mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Loved this!!!! Made it for dinner tonight. First time using spaghetti squash. It was like fall in a bowl!!! Delicious!!! Reply
