Spaghetti Squash & Tomato Basil Meat Sauce

This paleo and gluten free low carb dinner is such a favorite at out house, we have it several times a month. If you love a good spaghetti squash dish, you are in for a treat with this spaghetti squash & tomato basil meat sauce. It’s full of flavor and will have you asking for more.

This low carb dinner of Spaghetti Squash & Tomato Basil Meat Sauce is both paleo and gluten-free and chock full of amazing flavor. It’s also so easy to make, you will probably add it to your regular rotating menu.

RELATED: Pasta Alternatives That Are Healthy

Spaghetti Squash & Tomato Basil Meat Sauce

Let’s jump right into this delicious recipe and grab our ingredients:

• spaghetti squash
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
• 1 tsp onion powder (or saute and sub 1/4 cup chopped onion)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (or saute and sub 1 glove fresh garlice, minced)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 160z can crushed tomatoes

If you notice with the directions above, I am adding in a few cheat notes for you. You can make this meal a little faster if you use the powders versus the actual veggies. As a mom of four, it honestly depends on how much time after work and what’s happening in the house on whether or not I use fresh veggies or the flavored powders.

Having made this recipe with both real vegetables and with the powders numerous times, I can honestly say that there is very little difference in the flavors.

To get started, we need to roast that beautiful spaghetti squash. Heat the oven to 400. Half the squash, scoop and clean the seeds inside. Drizzle with a tsp of extra virgin olive oil in each half, add a little salt. Take each half and turn face down on a prepared cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Take a fork and start to shred the insides.

While roasting the spaghetti squash, brown the lean ground beef. Saute the onion and garlic if using fresh veggies. Drain the meat sauce and then mix the onion, garlic, black pepper, and meat and place on low to medium heat. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, and pepper, stir. Allow to simmer while spaghetti squash is roasting, stirring frequently.

Spaghetti Squash & Tomato Basil Meat Sauce

Scoop the spaghetti squash onto a bowl, cover with meat sauce, and add a pinch of parmesan if desired. SO GOOD!!! 

If you love this Spaghetti Squash & Tomato Basil Meat Sauce as much as we do, you might also like this Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash recipe.  You can find more delicious and healthy recipes in the Simple Fit Forty section of our blog.