This is a healthier version of spaghetti bolognese where I replaced the pasta with spaghetti squash and the red meat with chicken.
I’ve been meaning to make this for quite sometime and when I finally got my hands on this beautiful squash I had to make it right away!
Oven-roasted squashes are tastier and give you long beautiful strands which resemble the perfect Al dente pasta. Moreover this High nutrient, low calorie pasta is the best healthy & yummy alternative to the High-Carb pasta. It’s good to try such healthy alternatives as you can eat without guilt while the flavors remain intact. It’s also a great Gluten-free, dairy-free meal for the ones with gluten sensitivity and helps you feel lighter without all the bloating.
It’s officially my new favorite veggie!
Ingredients :
- Whole spaghetti squash – 1
- Lean minced chicken/turkey – 1 kg
- Onion – ½ (medium) finely chopped
- Tomatoes – 2 (blanched & pureed)
- Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
- Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
- Ground cayenne pepper OR Red chili podwer – 1 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika OR kashmiri red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Pepper – 2 teaspoons
- Ginger garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Cilantro – handful (chopped)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Usually the squash is cut in half before roasting it but sometimes the exterior might be too hard to cut through. So I place the whole vegetable on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil and pop it into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes while turning over the squash midway. They’re done when brown spots appear on them. Let cool and slice the squash in half vertically.
- Use a fork to work your way through the flesh. As you scrape the squash with the fork, you’ll notice that they break into long thin strands. That’s how a spaghetti squash is. I like to start from the outside and work my way in. Be gentle and don’t overdo it as you might break those beautiful strands. Keep them aside in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt, pepper & dried oregano if you prefer and toss the strands gently.
- Now let’s cook the chicken. Heat oil in a wide and shallow pan and add the minced garlic and chopped onions. Let them cook until golden.
- Then add the seasoning – cumin, ginger & garlic paste, smoked paprika & red chili powder
- Mix in the pureed tomatoes and let it cook for 5 minutes until well combined. Add the minced chicken to this mixture with some water and let the meat cook for 20 mins.
- Add salt,pepper and 1 tsp of sugar. If you like it hotter you can add some cayenne pepper too.
- Finally garnish with some cilantro.
- While plating, serve the turkey on top of the spaghetti squash to make it resemble pasta. Sprinkle some grated parmesan if you prefer. Enjoy your delicious meal with no guilt!