You’ll never make traditional spaghetti and meatballs again. This lightened recipe combines butternut squash noodles with tender meatballs and savory red sauce for a healthy meal that tastes downright naughty. Every family needs a reliable spaghetti and meatball recipe, and it’s a happy bonus that this one is light and lean.
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 pound ground beef – sirloin or similar lean cut (90% or 93% lean)
¾ cup grain-free bread crumbs
⅓ cup Basil pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
6 cups Butternut squash noodles
1 (24 ounce) jar of marinara sauce
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
2. Use your hands to combine the beef, bread crumbs, pesto, sea salt and black pepper. Roll the mixture into about fifteen 1-inch meatballs. Place the meatballs in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the meatballs, setting aside on a plan, and drain off any liquids from the pan.
3. Spread the noodles in the pan. Pour the marinara sauce over the noodles and toss gently with tongs to coat. Add the meatballs back to the pan, gently nestling throughout the noodles. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from oven. Toss to coat the noodles and meatballs with the sauce. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper and garnish with fresh basil.
Nutrition
One serving equals 289 calories, 10g fat, 23g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 26g protein.