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Home Diet Low Carb
5
/5
45 minutes minutes

Spaghetti Squash and Meatball Meal Prep Bowls

Gluten Free Gluten Free Low Carb Low Carb Nut Free Nut Free Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard12 Comments
Posted: 9/16/21 Updated: 9/16/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These spaghetti squash and meatball meal prep bowls are a lower carb lunch option! Save time and reduce your dishes by baking the meatballs right in your meal prep containers!

Just like this reader favorite Santa fe low carb chicken meal prep, these spaghetti squash and meatball meal prep bowls are another great lunch option for my low carb readers! Plus it's very easy to make, especially if you cook the spaghetti squash using this easy method.

overhead view of Baked Meatball Meal Prep with Spaghetti Squash in glass meal prep containers
Jump to... show
1 Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
2 Ingredient notes
3 Step by step instructions
4 FAQ
5 Storage & reheating
6 More low carb meal prep recipes
7 Baked Meatball Meal Prep with Spaghetti Squash

This meal prep recipe is so easy, and requires just 20 minutes of your time to prep before popping in the oven. Baking the meatballs in the meal prep container cuts down on the portioning step and also on dishes.

Best of all, the Italian meatballs pack a ton of flavor and are so juicy. They are also made low carb, by leaving out breadcrumbs! While this dish is low carb, it is definitely still filling and packs 28 grams of protein per serving.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe

  • it's gluten-free and lower in carbs
  • the meatballs bake right in the meal prep containers for easy clean up
  • it tastes like your favorite pasta dish, but is lightened up

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

Ingredient notes

spaghetti squash on cutting board after cooking
  • Spaghetti squash - cook your spaghetti squash ahead in the oven or Instant Pot.
  • Ground beef - we used lean ground beef here, but ground turkey works great as well!
  • Cheese - we recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor. To sprinkle on top, mozzarella or Monterey Jack are both delicious
  • Marinara sauce - grab your favorite brand; you'll need one 22 oz/ 650 mL jar. We've tested with a variety of brands including Newman's Own, Classico and President's Choice. If you are following a keto or low carb diet, be sure to select a sauce with no added sugar; Rao's is a popular one.

Step by step instructions

mixing meatballs in glass bowl

1. Mix together meatballs - First, preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix together the meatball ingredients, including the ground beef, worcestershire sauce, salt, egg, oregano, basil and parmesan. Roll into 1.5 tablespoon balls. They will be soft, so be gentle with them.

Tip - I used my favorite 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to form the meatballs!

overhead shot of four meal prep containers with marinara sauce and meatballs before baking

2. Prepare meal prep containers - place ¼ cup of marinara in the bottom of four oven-safe glass meal prep containers. Arrange 4-5 meatballs on top, then cover with ¼ cup marinara.

Tip - these are the 2-compartment glass meal prep containers that I used to prep this recipe; be sure to select oven-safe meal prep containers if you are baking right in them.

overhead shot of four meal prep containers with marinara sauce and meatballs after baking, with melted cheese on top

3. Bake - bake at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

overhead shot of two glass meal prep containers filled with spaghetti squash and meatballs

4. Portion - portion out the cooked spaghetti squash (¾ cup per serving).


FAQ

What kind of meal prep containers do I need for this recipe?

You need a glass meal prep container that specifies that it is oven safe. Both my 2 Cup Glass Snapware and 2-compartment Glass PrepNaturals containers are oven safe and worked well for this recipe.

Can I make this without the glass meal prep containers?

Yes, bake in a separate dish, then portion out into your containers after it cools.

Can I freeze this meal prep?

You can definitely freeze this meatball meal prep, but I would recommend cooking your spaghetti squash 'al dente' since it softens after freeze/thawing. It also lets off some water, but I bet after mixing with the marinara you wouldn't notice!

Storage & reheating

This recipe works great for meal prep. Here's how to store and reheat it:

  • Fridge - cool completely, then refrigerate in air tight meal prep containers for up to 4 days
  • Freezer - cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Spaghetti squash freezes well! You can expect it to be slightly softer and to release some water upon thawing. Cooking your spaghetti squash 'al dente' will fix this issue.
  • Thaw- overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat- in the microwave until steaming hot.

Favorite Meal Prep Containers

Our tried and true favorite meal prep containers and jars that will keep your food fresh, help you reheat it evenly, and withstand the test of time. No more wasting your money, these are the absolute best containers out there!

Keep reading

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Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

overhead shot of two glass meal prep containers filled with spaghetti squash and meatballs

Baked Meatball Meal Prep with Spaghetti Squash

5 from 17 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
Total Time: 45 minutes mins
Print Rate
This baked meatball meal prep with spaghetti squash is a lower carb lunch option! Save time and reduce your dishes by baking the meatballs right in your meal prep containers.
5

Ingredients

Italian Meatballs

  • 1 lb lean ground beef 450 g; see note 1
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ cup parmesan shredded

Meal Prep Bowls

  • 2 ½ cups marinara sauce see note 2
  • 1 ¼ cup mozzarella shredded
  • 4 cups spaghetti squash cooked; see note 3

Instructions 

  • Mix together meatballs - First, preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix together the meatball ingredients, including the ground beef, worcestershire sauce, salt, egg, oregano, basil and parmesan. Roll into 1.5 tablespoon balls. They will be soft, so be gentle with them.
  • Prepare meal prep containers - place ¼ cup of marinara in the bottom of four oven-safe glass meal prep containers. Arrange 4-5 meatballs on top, then cover with ¼ cup marinara.
    overhead shot of four meal prep containers with marinara sauce and meatballs before baking
  • Bake - bake at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
    overhead shot of four meal prep containers with marinara sauce and meatballs after baking, with melted cheese on top
  • Portion - portion out the cooked spaghetti squash (¾ cup per serving).

Tips:

  1. You may swap for ground turkey.
  2. Use your favorite brand; if you are low carb or keto, be sure to select a sauce with no added sugar. Rao's is a popular option.
  3. You may cook your spaghetti squash in the oven or Instant Pot
Storage & reheating
  • Fridge - cool completely, then refrigerate in air tight meal prep containers for up to 4 days
  • Freezer - cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Spaghetti squash freezes well! You can expect it to be slightly softer and to release some water upon thawing. Cooking your spaghetti squash 'al dente' will fix this issue.
  • Thaw- overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat- in the microwave until steaming hot.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1meal prep bowl, Calories: 376kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 871mg, Potassium: 760mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 875IU, Vitamin C: 9.8mg, Calcium: 254mg, Iron: 4.3mg
Author: Annie Holmes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Italian

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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Reader Interactions

5 from 17 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Bobby says

    Posted on 11/14/21 at Posted on 11/14/21

    What temp are we baking at?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 11/15/21 at Posted on 11/15/21

      Hi Bobby, apologies for the missing information! We have updated the recipe card - we're baking the meatballs at 375ºF. We hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Scott says

    Posted on 11/22/20 at Posted on 11/22/20

    I used to be able to print the recipes on your site with the images but as of a couple weeks ago the images stopped working when printing the recipe. I have tried various browsers and they all seem to fail. Am I doing something wrong?

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 1/6/21 at Posted on 1/6/21

      Hi Scott! That's so strange, as I've had images turned off on my recipe cards for quite some time. Are you sure it's my site you are talking about? I have the images turned off on the printer version of the recipe card so readers don't waste their printer ink.

      Reply
  3. Mary Frances says

    Posted on 11/17/19 at Posted on 11/17/19

    Sorry, it says 5 serves but the pictures only show 4 meal prep containers. Does it really make 5 serves, or just 4? Are the nutritional stats based on 4 or 5 serves?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 11/18/19 at Posted on 11/18/19

      Hi Mary Frances! Sorry for the confusion, it does make 5 portions but the 5 portions looked awkward in photos so I just showed 4. Nutritional stats are based on 5 servings.

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    Posted on 9/2/19 at Posted on 9/2/19

    Hi! What low carb marinara sauce do you use?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 9/3/19 at Posted on 9/3/19

      Hi Sarah! I am not personally low carb but I have heard Rao's recommended in several groups and this is what I used to calculate the nutritional info.

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    Posted on 3/1/19 at Posted on 3/1/19

    Could I use a larger scoop (ice cream scoop size)? How would the cooking time change if I did that. I don't want to spend money on more cooking tools and want to try to use what I already have. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 3/5/19 at Posted on 3/5/19

      Hi Laura! I'm sure you could use a larger scoop but I'm not sure how long you'd need to bake them for. You could also just estimate the size, no need for a cookie scoop though it does make things a bit easier.

      Reply
  6. Angela says

    Posted on 2/27/19 at Posted on 2/27/19

    What brand are the glass containers with the divider? These look great!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 3/5/19 at Posted on 3/5/19

      Hi Angela! They are PrepNaturals from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VKKx8v

      Reply

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