Spaghetti squash and mince baked casserole
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Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
This easy cheesy spaghetti squash and mince casserole is proper comfort food - you won't even miss the potatoes or pasta!
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • olive oil
  • seasoning of your choice
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 400g lean beef mince
  • Salt and pepper
  • 50g grated Cheddar
  • hot sauce of your choice (I used Frank's RedHot Sauce)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Quarter the spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Brush all over with olive oil, season generously with seasoning of your choice (Cajun seasoning works well but in this instance I used  a mix of crushed coriander seeds, paprika and salt) and place on a baking sheet skin side down.  Roast for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from the oven, scoop the flesh off the skin, season to taste  and set aside.
  2. While the squash is roasting, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped vegetables.  Sauté gently until the onions are transparent and the carrots are softening but still al dente. Add the mince and continue to sauté, breaking up any chunks to ensure that the meat cooks evenly. Once the meat is cooked through, check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as well as a splash of hot sauce if you are co inclined.
  3. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the cooked squash and the mince mixture, then spoon it into an oven-proof casserole dish.  Sprinkle with grated Cheddar and splash with more hot sauce. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C and bake in the centre of the oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese beginning to brown (about 15-20 mnutes).
  4. Serve immediately with a big green salad.
Notes
Substitute any sharp cheese of your choice for the Cheddar.
Make sure you use the leanest beef mince you can find - normal mince renders too much fat.
Make it vegetarian by substituting soya mince for the beef mince.
Recipe by Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography at https://www.cooksister.com/2016/03/low-carb-spaghetti-squash-mince-bake.html