When we did our Whole30 earlier this year, I found one of the easiest things was to alter recipes we make a lot, and just make them Whole30-friendly! Now, that doesn’t work for all recipes, but it worked beautifully to create this easy Whole30 bolognese with spaghetti squash.
We’re planning on doing another Whole30 in January because WE NEED IT after the holidays. It’s a good chance to just reset and go sugar-free for 30 days. I always feel great when on a Whole30. I sleep better, have more energy, and just feel healthier. Lately at work, I’ve been feeling the afternoon slump. And then the evening slump when I get home. And then the morning slump in the morning. I’m hoping that another Whole30 will help get rid of that. And you can bet during our January Whole30, this will be on the menu!
Honestly, even when we’re not doing a Whole30, I frequently serve this bolognese sauce over spaghetti squash instead of regular pasta. It’s THAT delicious. You do want the sauce to simmer for awhile to cook down and develop flavor, so plan ahead if you’re going to make this! It winds up being pretty easy, because most of the time the sauce is just hanging out in the pot, simmering away. You may need to stir it here and there, but this is not a meal that will be ready in 30 minutes.
- 3 carrots
- 1 yellow or white onion
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 ⅓ lbs ground beef
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened and unflavored)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 28oz can plum tomatoes
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- Fresh basil, if desired
- Dice the three carrots and white onion.
- Melt the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot (I use a stew pot). Add the onion and carrot and saute until onion is translucent.
- Add the ground beef and brown, breaking up any clumps. Add about ¼ tsp pepper and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Once beef has browned reduce heat to low and add the milk to the pot and stir occasionally until all the milk is absorbed.
- Sir in the nutmeg and oregano.
- Take the can of tomatoes and put into a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the tomatoes to the pot and stir to mix.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- While sauce is cooking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil over the squash halves and rub into the surface. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Flip over so squash is face down on the baking sheet. Bake in oven for 45 minutes.
- When squash is done, remove from the oven and flip over. With a fork, fluff the squash to form strands. Scoop strands into bowls and spoon the bolognese sauce over the spaghetti squash.
- Top with fresh basil leaves if desired.
