Photo: Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash in Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds spaghetti squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- One 16-ounce can San Marzano diced tomatoes
- One 16-ounce can San Marzano tomato sauce
- 2 pounds ground turkey meat
- 1 loaf Italian bread, chopped
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 bunch fresh basil, large stems removed, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Halve the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Roast the squash until softened, 30 to 40 minutes depending on size.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the garlic and onions until translucent. Add the tomatoes and simmer on low heat, about 45 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the turkey, bread, milk, Parmesan, basil and parsley and mix well. Form into 2-inch meatballs.
Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the meatballs until browned on all sides. Cook in batches if needed. Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer until cooked through.
Using a fork, remove the squash flesh from the skin and stir the squash into the tomato sauce. Serve the squash topped with meatballs.
This recipe was created by a contestant during a cooking competition. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use, therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
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By rissaweb
bay area, ca
on July 08, 2012
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I will not ever use another meatball recipe again...nothing compares to these! They are juicy they melt in your mouth and you can freeze them and make them later! I didn't have any spaghetti squash so I just tossed the meatballs and sauce with angel hair pasta. I also made a few minor changes after reading the other comments:
-I used 1lb of ground turkey and 1lb of ground beef instead of 2 lbs of ground turkey
-I used half a loaf of regular sliced Italian bread chopped each slice in about 8 pieces no crust
-I used just alittle more than 1/4 the bunch of parsley that was plenty. I chopped the parsley into smaller pieces
-I only used half an onion (which was perfect instead of a whole onion
-I used 1 cup of Italian blend shredded cheese instead of Parmesan
Also, if you plan on making all the meatballs at the same time you need more sauce. I think I added 8 oz of extra tomato sauce and made 3/4 of the meatballs. Keep extra sauce on hand just in case.
By master of the stove
Las Vegas
on July 03, 2012
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A good recipe. My husband cooked the squash on the grill while I did the rest. The squash and basil made it taste very fresh and light.
By A Challenged Chef
Maryland
on July 02, 2012
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These were delicious! Very juicy and very tasty. Maybe it's me, but I did make some changes to the way it is written. I used half the turkey, half the milk, half the cheese. I needed a LOT less parsley than the 1/2 bunch I used and need to chop it finer next time. Also, just pulled the white part of the bread out of the 1/2 loaf but need to make the pieces smaller. I never saw where the basel went so threw it into the tomato sauce. Also, tried to get the meatballs browned pretty quickly so I could get them to cook more in the sauce the whole time. I put a lid on but maybe you aren't supposed to- it worked well for me. The squash was great, but I want to check and see what would happen if I cooked it face down in a little water like a do acorn squash. It seems a little al dente even though i cooked less than a 2 lb. squash for 10 minutes over the time. Anyway, super delicious- I want this again and again.
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