“Spaghetti” with Classic Tomato Sauce is bursting with simple and beautiful Italian flavours! This guilt-free & healthy dish will be your new go-to on pasta night…guaranteed!

Do you feel bloated or ‘heavy’ after eating a bowl of pasta?

What if you could enjoy the flavours of a classic and heart warming Italian dish without having to worry about the negative impact it might have on your body?

What if you could find a replacement that is naturally rich in nutrients, low in carbohydrates and even looks like the spaghetti noodle?

Might you be convinced to try it?

Drum roll please ….

… I present to you, The Spaghetti Squash!

Before you shake your head and say – “I’ll never give up my favourite pasta dish for sauce on squash” – hear me out…

I’m sure most Italians would agree that the magic in a bowl of pasta comes from the sauce. Nonna’s sauce tastes amazing on just about anything!

So my theory is, if you have the perfect sauce, the noodle just doesn’t matter as much.

We’ve all tasted a not so good tomato sauce at one point or another. Bottom line is, if the sauce ain’t good, the pasta ain’t good, no matter how perfect the noddle.

That doesn’t mean we should put less attention on the noodle, but it does mean we have a little room for play instead.

So now that I have you half convinced, let’s move forward to cooking the perfect spaghetti squash. The trick here is simple – don’t overcook it! This will ensure that you maintain the traditional ‘al dente’ texture of the noodle. See my instructions on cooking spaghetti squash below.

Now for the magic. I love to keep my tomato sauce simple and classic – as the smell fills my home with memories of my grandparent’s kitchen growing up.

What you need for “Spaghetti” with Classic Tomato Sauce

• Spaghetti squash
• Pureed tomatoes
• Garlic
• Basil
• Extra virgin olive oil

Want more guilt-free spaghetti recipes? You’ve got to try these …

• “Spaghetti” Bolognese
• Chicken Pesto “Spaghetti” 
• “Spaghetti” alla Puttanesca
• “Spaghetti” alla Vodka

"Spaghetti" with Classic Tomato Sauce

"Spaghetti" with Classic Tomato Sauce is bursting with simple and beautiful Italian flavours! This guilt-free dish will be your new go-to on pasta night. Gluten free, plant-based, paleo & low-carb.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Gluten Free, Italian, Low-Carb, Paleo, Plant-Based

Servings: 3

Ingredients

 

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 600-700 ml can or jar pureed tomatoes, (tomato passata)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper , to taste

Instructions

 

Spaghetti Squash

• Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
• Bake at 400F for 30-40 min (first 10 min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked. See notes below.
• Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.

Classic Tomato Sauce

• In a sauce pan, sauté garlic and basil in olive oil over medium heat until garlic becomes fragrant. If you are using fresh basil, add basil leaves in after step 2.
• Add tomatoes and bring to a light boil for 5 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to medium-low heat and let simmer for 45 min.
• Add tomato sauce on top of cooked squash noodles and enjoy!

Notes

• Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’.
• Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.

Keyword Italian, pasta, spaghetti, squash, tomato sauce