Home-style Beef Spaghetti Squash

This is another quick weeknight meal. Dear sister and I put this together weeks ago and marveled how similar it taste to the spaghetti sauce we grew up on. It has that same slow simmered flavor but it is fast. It tastes as if it has been cooking all day long. It was so good we made it again tonight. I think it is the mushroom pasta sauce and the olives that makes this sauce so similar to the sauce of our childhood. That flavor combo is definitely what makes this a comforting home-style meal for me. But the best part is, this recipe is healthy and on the table in less than 30 minutes. Serving the sauce over spaghetti squash lowers the carbs, if you are counting them. We felt really good about that. It means we can have it more often. I will be keeping this recipe and the ingredients on hand for a future easy comforting meal. I hope you will too. 

Home-style Beef Spaghetti Squash

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced

24 oz. jar of mushroom pasta sauce                                                   

2.25 oz. can of sliced black olives, undrained

Black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes, to taste

2 small spaghetti squash

Kosher salt, to taste

Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Directions

Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, stirring until brown. Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes. Add onion and bell pepper, continue to cook until onions are translucent and peppers begin to soften. Add pasta sauce, olives and 1/2 cup water; bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat while preparing the spaghetti squash.

To prepare spaghetti squash: Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut side down in a microwave safe dish, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 7 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes (You may have to cook each squash separately). When squash is cool enough to handle, pull the squash into spaghetti like threads. Season with salt and pepper. To serve spoon sauce over spaghetti squash and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

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