Take a break from pasta with this Baked Spaghetti Squash, filled with ground beef, tomatoes, and plenty of aromatic herbs.
Author:Addie Gundry
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 10 minutes
Yield:81x
Category:Entrées
Ingredients
Scale
1 (3-pound) spaghetti squash
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
8 cremini mushrooms, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Puncture the spaghetti squash randomly with a sharp knife to allow steam to be released. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife can pierce the skin easily. Allow to cool and slice in half. Remove the seeds. Using a fork, scrape inside the squash to create the spaghetti “noodles.”
While the squash is baking, prepare the filling.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until the meat is browned, about 6 minutes.
Mix in the tomatoes, bell pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the oregano, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Ladle the sauce on top of your prepared squash halves. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve.
