Retro Spaghetti Pie

Hi y’all! This casserole is a healthy play on your grandmother’s spaghetti pie casserole. It’s really good without the guilt.

No guilt at all, not even for Catholics. (Edgy, right?)

Yes, really, Whole30 and Paleo compliant. I’m on a retro-cooking kick - reinventing past favs with healthy ingredients and short-cut cooking methods. It’s a hoot!

All healthy. All do-able.

This magic casserole is spaghetti squash with an amped-up Bolognese sauce. And, no worries, we are using the Insta Pot (IP) for both the spaghetti squash and the Bolognese so it doesn’t take all day like your grandmother’s version.

for the squash

cut in half, width wise, so that each half will fit in the IP together once hollowed out. Takes just 5-6 minutes on high. Quick release. BAM!

for the sauce

in the IP, sauté diced onion, celery, and carrot until soft. Add garlic, and mushrooms until tender. Add 1 lb of ground meat of your choice. I used bison for my test and it was excellent. Break it up and sauté until browned. Then add 1 1/2 cups of broth (you need the fluid for the IP process), 28oz can diced tomatoes, tablespoon oregano, some chili pepper flakes for kick, big splash olive oil, can of tomato paste on top (mix it all up after cooking), tablespoon of honey to balance the acid from tomatoes (optional), 2 bay leaves. Set the IP on high for 25 minutes, and let it slow release for at least 15 minutes. Viola!

for the casserole

mix everything together in a Dutch oven. I folded in big handfuls of baby spinach too to give it even more goodness. Top it with fresh sliced tomatoes - sure to make it a show stopper.

Make in advance! Just pop into the oven at 375 until it bubbles.