Tomato Cream Sauce & Squash

This slow cooker Tomato Cream Sauce & Squash is a great change-up from your basic spaghetti night. Super tweakable by using regular pasta for the kids too, so the whole family can be fueled as needed. 

Slow cooker or Instant Pot. (DF, GF, paleo, keto) Vegan option is to skip meat and add beans to make it an Italian soup vibe, lower in protein but so yummy! 

INGREDIENTS 

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

1 lb ground grass-fed beef (or 2 lbs of either)

1 - 24 oz jar marinara 

1/2 cup canned coconut milk (shake well) or any desired milk or cream works too

1 small onion, chopped 

1 -8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms (opt)

1 c fresh or frozen spinach (opt)

1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp each pepper & salt

1 tsp each oregano and dried basil or 2 tsp Italian seasoning 

1 whole spaghetti squash 

desired spaghetti noodles if kids prefer that over the spaghetti squash. Super tweakable 

Optional toppings :

Shaved Parmesan

Fresh Basil 

 

STEPS

Slow cooker

1)Brown meat in skillet and pour into the slow cooker. Add sauce, coconut milk, veggies, & seasonings on top of meat in slow cooker. 

2)Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Nestle spaghetti squash cut-side down into sauce. . *Tip - microwave whole squash 3-5 minutes to make cutting in half super easy. Stab with a knife or fork before microwaving. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. 

Instant pot 

1)Use sauté mode and brown meat. 

Add sauce, coconut milk, veggies, & seasonings on top of meat in the Instant Pot. 

2)Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. *Tip - microwave whole squash 3-5 minutes to make cutting in half super easy. Stab with a knife or fork first too before microwaving. Remove seeds and nestle spaghetti squash cut-side down into meat sauce. Put on manual high 8 minutes and quick release.

3)For both ways of cooking :

Remove squash & loosen strands with a fork. Stir the meat sauce mixture and ladle into spaghetti squash boats or add squash to the meat sauce for minestrone soup vibes. Both ways so yummy. Top with fresh basil & parm or any cheese, if desired. My favorite way to do it is in spaghetti squash like a bowl. 

*For kids needing more carbs for fuel, boiling regular pasta is a great option, mixed in with the squash as a combo, or just noodles and meat sauce is a hit too. Makes 6 servings. Serving size for macros is 1 cup tomato cream sauce + 1 cup spaghetti squash. 

per 1 c sauce, 1 c squash

370cal/18fat/18carb/2fiber/33protein

🍑Nourishment Breakdown

PROTEIN: all the meat 

FAT: beef, coconut milk

FIBER: spaghetti squash, veggies

CARB/STARCH: none 

xx, Meredith🍑🧡

 

Tomato Cream Sauce & Squash

Meredith Mann

Calories

370

Category

Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 lb ground grass-fed beef (or 2 lbs of either)
  • 1 - 24 oz jar marinara 
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (shake well) or any desired milk or cream works too
  • 1 small onion, chopped 
  • 1 -8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms (opt)
  • 1 c fresh or frozen spinach (opt)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp each pepper & salt
  • 1 tsp each oregano and dried basil or 2 tsp Italian seasoning 
  • 1 whole spaghetti squash 
  • desired spaghetti noodles if kids prefer that over the spaghetti squash. Super tweakable 

  • Optional toppings :

  • Shaved Parmesan
  • Fresh Basil 

Steps

  1. Slow cooker
  2. 1)Brown meat in skillet and pour into the slow cooker. Add sauce, coconut milk, veggies, & seasonings on top of meat in slow cooker. 
  3. 2)Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Nestle spaghetti squash cut-side down into sauce. . *Tip - microwave whole squash 3-5 minutes to make cutting in half super easy. Stab with a knife or fork before microwaving. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. 
  4. Instant pot 
  5. 1)Use sauté mode and brown meat. 
  6. Add sauce, coconut milk, veggies, & seasonings on top of meat in the Instant Pot. 
  7. 2)Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. *Tip - microwave whole squash 3-5 minutes to make cutting in half super easy. Stab with a knife or fork first too before microwaving. Remove seeds and nestle spaghetti squash cut-side down into meat sauce. Put on manual high 8 minutes and quick release.

  8. 3)For both ways of cooking :

  9. Remove squash & loosen strands with a fork. Stir the meat sauce mixture and ladle into spaghetti squash boats or add squash to the meat sauce for minestrone soup vibes. Both ways so yummy. Top with fresh basil & parm or any cheese, if desired. My favorite way to do it is in spaghetti squash like a bowl. 
  10. *For kids needing more carbs for fuel, boiling regular pasta is a great option, mixed in with the squash as a combo, or just noodles and meat sauce is a hit too. Makes 6 servings. Serving size for macros is 1 cup tomato cream sauce + 1 cup spaghetti squash. 
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