Eggplant And White Bean Meatballs With Spaghetti Squash Recipes

SPAGHETTI SQUASH AND EGGPLANT MEATBALLS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Combine eggplant, onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, and oregano on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, mixing halfway.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine eggplant mixture, basil, parsley, Parmesan, bread crumbs, ricotta, oregano, and egg, and blend until smooth.
• Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls. Transfer to a cast iron pan spacing them about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 20 minutes.
• On a baking sheet, cover spaghetti squash with oil, salt, and pepper, add to oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove meatballs, add marinara sauce, and return to oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove spaghetti squash from the oven and with a fork pull at the edges to produce that stringy "spaghetti" quality.
• On a plate combine spaghetti with meatballs and garnish with parmesan and basil.
• Enjoy!

SAUSAGE AND WHITE BEAN-STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise using a serrated knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Brush the flesh of both halves with 1 teaspoon oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Put the halves flesh-side down on a baking sheet and cook until tender, the flesh can easily be flaked with a fork and the edges just turn brown, about 45 minutes. Separate the strands of squash by scraping the flesh with a fork. Leave the scraped strands inside the squash.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and taking care to keep some larger chunks, until it just starts to brown and crisp up, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce reduces by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white beans and spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach just wilts and is still vibrant green, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Divide the sausage mixture between the 2 squash halves and mix with the squash strands until well combined. Sprinkle each squash half with 1 tablespoon Parmesan and serve with more red pepper flakes, if using.

SPAGHETTI AND EGGPLANT "MEATBALLS"

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with a rack about 6 inches from heating element. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until blackened on top, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and continue broiling until blackened on second side, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Immediately transfer to a bowl with oil, garlic, and oregano, tossing to combine. Cover bowl with a plate or plastic wrap; let steam until eggplant softens and cools slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer eggplant mixture to a food processor. Add beans, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, red-pepper flakes, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Pulse just to a chunky paste, 10 to 12 times (do not overmix). Form mixture into 16 meatballs, each approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lightly drizzled with oil.
• Drizzle with more oil, shaking sheet until meatballs are lightly and evenly coated. Broil, undisturbed, until browned on top and firm, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 3 cups tomato sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large straight-sided skillet. Gently transfer broiled meatballs to sauce, turning to coat (meatballs are delicate and can fall apart if handled aggressively). Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot; stir in remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Toss in more pasta water as necessary, a little at a time, until sauce evenly clings to noodles. Serve meatballs with sauce over pasta, topped with more cheese and red-pepper flakes, and a drizzle of oil.