Categories: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large spaghetti squash, halved crosswise and seeds removed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced carrot
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds ground beef
- Two 24-ounce jars good marinara sauce
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- Chopped fresh basil, for serving
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
-
Oil the inside of the spaghetti squash with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan and bake until fork-tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Add the beef, crumbling it as you go, and cook until thoroughly browned, another 5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Allow the sauce to simmer until the squash is cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
-
Remove the squash and allow it to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Use a fork to loosen the squash and form spaghetti-like strands.
-
Serve the sauce over a bowl of the spaghetti squash noodles, or inside the squash halves, topped with Parmesan and lots of basil.