Spaghetti squash and turkey meatball meal prep will give you all the cozy feels of the classic dish it's inspired by, spaghetti and meatballs, but with lower carbs and fat.
Cutting out starchy pasta is a great way to save calories, but you need to replace those noodles with something that's like noodles, but also tasty! Spaghetti Squash is one of the simplest healthy swaps you could make for traditional pasta if you are looking to reduce carbs and/or eat more veggies in general. (Spaghetti squash contains about 10 grams of carbs per cup, a fraction of pasta's typical carb count.) This squash can be used in sweet and savory dishes, but the most common use for meal prepping? Well, it just so happens to be with meatballs, or even with some meat sauce.
Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs Meal Prep
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Caribeque Island Thyme seasoning
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp pepper, or to taste
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
How to Make Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs Meal Prep
First, let's talk about the squash itself. You'll start off by roasting it at high heat in the oven until you can easily shred the squash into "spaghetti" with a fork. While the squash is roasting, bring together the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium bowl. If you can't find the specific seasoning we recommend here, which contains a combination of sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, paprika, marjoram, and garlic powder, we suggest using something similar. The same amount of Italian seasoning would work, or get creative and do a dash of all of those individual herbs, if desired. Keep in mind the seasoning we recommend already has salt and pepper in it, so you may not need a whole lot for the meatballs.
How to Serve and Store Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs
We love this for an easy meal prep because it's deliciously rewarding and balanced, and it stores well. Keep them in airtight meal prep containers for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. You can freeze the meatballs if you want, but the spaghetti squash won't do so well in the freezer when you go to reheat it.
Spaghetti and meatballs deserve a good green salad, maybe with Caesar dressing. Or at the very least, a side of broccoli rabe, sauteed kale with garlic, or something else that's very green! We also like a good dash of freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the finished dish, too.
Substitutions and Alterations
Serve this spaghetti squash and meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce or other jarred pasta sauce. Or make it from scratch, if desired.
Feel free to use ground beef, chicken, or pork, or a combination of those meats, for this meal prep.
Doubling this recipe means you can freeze the meatballs and have them at a moment's notice for dinner. Future you will definitely thank you!
Tips for the Best Meatballs
Use your clean hands to combine the meatball mixture. It will ensure that it's both evenly mixed and not overmixed; the latter can result in meatballs that are tough and not tender.
READ MORE: One Skillet Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
MORE MEATBALLS: 20 Miniute Paleo Thai Almond Butter Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 each medium spaghetti squash
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray or cooking oil.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise from stem to tail. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place squash, cut-side down, on the baking dish. Place into oven and roast until tender, about 35-45 minutes (depending on size).
- Remove from oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.
- Using a fork, scrape the flesh to create long strands.
Turkey Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle with avocado oil.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, and mix it together using your hands. Don’t overwork the mix; it'll make for tougher meatballs.
- Use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to portion out the meat. Gently roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until you have a sheet full of meatballs.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
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