“OMG Juli. Spaghetti isn’t allowed on the paleo diet. Pasta is the devil.” Yes reader, yes it is. Spawn of satan that dough in noodle form is. That’s why it tastes so good and you feel instantly sick after you eat it. I miss “make your own pasta” at Macaroni Grill. Holy balls could I get down with that back in the day. And I would eat like 3 loaves of their fantastic bread before my doughy noodles even hit my dinner table. And I would have dessert. Lordy.
These aren’t real noodles. These are spaghetti squash noodles. And I love them.
Guess what happened today?! I tried to act like I knew what I was doing in kickball, reached my arms out for a ball coming “right at me”, and completely missed the ball. I mean, it wasn’t really even near me. I have no sense of how to catch things. Or where a flying object is in space. Or how to catch a ball, really. But then I caught the ball later, and redeemed myself. Thanks gosh. I think my team still kinda likes me.
I think I’m going to play in the park this weekend. And when I say play, I mean read in the park. I want to read “Catching Fire” and get through the entire book. It won’t happen because I’m a very slow reader and very easily distracted by the half naked bodies galloping through the park, but I will try my best.
I also want to bake a cake. Not just any cake though. I want this cake to have bacon in it. Don’t tell me you just said ew. If so, you’re dumb. Because it will be beautiful. I just know it.
Spaghetti and Meatball Bites
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1lb Tropical Traditions Grass Fed Ground Beef
- 1 (14oz) can tomato sauce
- 3 egg whites, whisked
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fat of choice (I used bacon fat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, use a spoon to remove the seeds and excess threads.
- Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Make sure not to overcook!!
- Add your ground beef to a large bowl and add 1/2 tablespoon of parsley, basil, and thyme and a bit of salt and pepper. Combine.
- Make your ground beef into small bite-sized meatballs.
- Now place a large skillet under medium heat, add your fat then small meatballs.
- Then add your can of tomato sauce, extra herbs, and salt and pepper.
- After meatballs have cooked for about 3-4 minutes, flip them and let them simmer in the sauce.
- While the meatballs are cooking through, remove your spaghetti squash from oven and use a fork to dethread the squash.
- Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
- Place silicone cups in your muffin tin then add your spaghetti squash threads to eat silicone cup, pressing down in the middle of the cup for the meatball to sit.
- Once the meatballs are done cooking, remove them from the sauce, and place each one in a muffin tin.
- Now pour just a little bit of beaten egg white on top of each muffin, spaghetti squash and the meatball.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until egg is completely cooked through.
- Add extra sauce to a bowl and dip your spaghetti and meatball bites in the sauce! BOOM!
Notes
You may have some leftover meatballs depending what size you make them. I just ate them while my other bites cooked. Obviously.
Tried this tonight, it’s freaking awesome!
I am on day 2 of paleo after 26 years of not eating vegetables, I am slowly moving my way into a healthier lifestyle (after having lost 100 lbs.) and now need to make cleaner food choices to maintain – so I am giving new things a try, and spaghetti squash seemed like an ok transition, and I was right, this meal was fantastic!
These look amazing! I am sensitive to eegs though. Anyway to make these without the egg? What would be a good re-placer?
the egg is what binds it together so you could make it without, they just wouldn’t stay quite as firm. still would taste great!
I am going to try them tonight. Some without egg / some with and egg replacer and whatever else I can think of. Maybe coconut flour and some water. I hope they bind together I love the idea of this as a finger food.
FREAKING AMAZBALLS!! Holy Mary Mother of God. Seriously. No, SERIOUSLY! Where is that freaking 6th star? I just LOVE your site. Everything I’ve made has been “why haven’t we been eating like this forever?! I want to shoot myself for being so stupid and shopping in the middle of the grocery store.”
I was so excited about these and made them tonight. The taste was just fine, but there was so much liquid in the cups after they finished baking that they didn’t hold their shape at all, just mushed out all over the plate. Any idea what I could do different?
don’t use as much egg white mixture next time. that should help!
These were delicious and fun to make!
Made these and they were so adorable! Only problem is the little silicone cups are kind of annoying to clean :\
This is genius! I may actually be able to convince my 7 year old that spaghetti squash tastes good…and that he shouldn’t run away gagging every time I make it. haha 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. Super tasty!
Thank-you all over the place!
I’m new to the Paleo world and thought I’d give this a go. I have huge respect for those that can fork a spaghetti squash while it’s hot out of the oven… My fingers suffered a bit. Verbal referrals being spread like verbal diarrhea.