I grew up with an Italian stepdad, so Italian meals were a comforting mainstay in my household. Lasagna, mostaccioli, ravioli, macaroni, linguini, and of course, spaghe-tti. Sometimes with meatballs and sometimes with sausages – just depended on my dad’s mood. 

But what do you do when you can’t have the pasta because it’s made of grains and you’re trying to eat Paleo? Well, you make it with zucchini “noodles” instead!

And so I present to you… Spaghetti and Meatballs Paleo Style!

I know – it sounds boring, but it really does hit the spot (as my Italian stepdad says) when you pair it with some awesome sauce and tasty meatballs. 

Paleo Style Spaghetti and Meatballs

2015-08-26 12:57:24

Serves 4

Grass-fed beef is paired with just the right seasonings for healthy, delicious meatballs. When paired with a simple three ingredient tomato sauce and zucchini noodles, it’s a delicious Italian-inspired meal!

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

40 min

Total Time

1 hr

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

40 min

Total Time

1 hr

Meatballs

1. 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
2. 1/2 onion, finely chopped
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. 1 egg, beaten
5. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
6. 1/2 tsp sea salt
7. 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8. 1 Tbs olive oil

Noodles

1. 1 large zucchini
2. 1 Tbs olive oil

Three Ingredient Tomato Sauce

1. 2 28-oz cans whole tomatoes
2. 1 Tbs olive oil
3. 1/2 small onion, left whole

To Serve

1. Fresh chopped basil

Directions for Three Ingredient Tomato Sauce

1. Put all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until tomatoes break down. Remove the onion pieces if desired.
3. For a smoother sauce, purée in a blender to desired texture.

Directions for Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Make the meatballs by combing the beef, onion, garlic, egg, and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until ingredients are just combined, but don’t over mix.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form the meatballs into 2-inch balls and lay on the baking sheet (use a cookie scoop to make uniform meatballs if desired.) Brush them lightly with the olive oil and bake until browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
4. Make the zucchini noodles by slicing the zucchini either using a spiral slicer or a julienne peeler to make noodles. Or just slice them in long strips very finely if you don't have either of those tools.
5. Heat the oil in a skillet and very lightly sauté the noodles, being careful not to overcook (you can skip this step if you’d like a firmer noodle.)
6. Serve the noodles topped with the meatballs, the sauce, and a sprinkling of fresh chopped basil.

Nutrition Information

1. Serves 4
2. Calories 335
3. Total Fat 15.8g
4. Total Carbohydrates 10.1g
5. Dietary Fiber 2.8g
6. Sugars 6.8g
7. Protein 38.2g

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