Lamb, Zucchini & Tomatoes atop Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Lamb-haters – please don’t stop reading! Use this versatile recipe as a general guide and skip the lamb!

Substitute with bison, turkey, chicken or beef…and if you do, you should switch up the fresh herb used. For instance, with turkey and chicken I might use chopped fresh sage leaves and with beef or bison perhaps fresh cilantro or parsley would do the trick.

Also, with the leaner proteins (bison, chicken, turkey and even beef) you should add a few teaspoons of oil to the skillet BEFORE browning. Lamb has enough fat making that step unnecessary.

Save Print

Lamb, Zucchini & Tomatoes atop Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon oil (such as avocado, olive or even coconut)
1 pound ground lamb
1 medium onion, diced (can use red, Vidalia, yellow, white or shallots)
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 4"-long sprig of fresh rosemary, stripped and leaves minced
½ pint grape tomatoes, halved

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a small sheet pan by lining it with parchment or foil (for easier clean-up).
Cut the spaghetti squash in half (the long way) and remove the seeds. Rub the cut surfaces with the oil. Place cut side down on the prepared sheet pan and place in the hot oven to roast for 30-40 minutes. Check the squash at 30 minutes by gently sticking a fork into the outside - it should give easily. If it still feels hard, place back in the oven and roast an additional 10 minutes.
When the squash is done, remove from the oven and flip over to expose the flesh. With a fork, gently tease the strands of squash away from the skin taking care not to smash/flatten them. Place into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. If you are preparing this ahead of time, let cool thoroughly and place in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to heat and serve.
Meanwhile, place the lamb in a large skillet (10-12" is a good size) over high heat breaking the meat up with a sturdy, heat-proof spatula. Cook until browned. Add the diced onions and season with salt and pepper to taste.
If there is an excess of fat from the lamb, drain the meat/onion mixture before continuing.
Place the meat/onion mixture back into the skillet and add the zucchini. Cook over medium-high heat to either just soften the zucchini or to brown it (this is a personal preference). When the zucchini is about ¾s of the way to the texture you prefer, add the fresh rosemary and tomatoes. Cook another 5 minutes, covering and lowering the heat if the mixture seems dry.
For serving, arrange the strands of roasted spaghetti squash in serving bowls and top with the lamb mixture. Garnish with a sprig or two of rosemary and enjoy!