Summer is all about grilling. But once in a while a stormy evening reminds you that fall is not that far off. For those nights, I crave warm comfort foods.

This past weekend my boyfriend and I went on an epic bike ride up a mountain to a Lake and conservation area. We made it back down before the rains commenced (barely!). We were both tired and hungry, craving something warm and hearty to fill us up. So while he unpacked the car and cleaned the bikes, I went to work whipping up a classic comfort food that is Paleo and gluten free.
This sauce is smoky and in my opinion, it is good on just about anything! Roasted spaghetti squash is looks and feels like the perfect pasta!  This dish will satisfy any cravy for a comfort food classic and the grilled flavor of the sauce keeps it light enough for summer.

Ingredients

Cook time: ~ 35 minutes
Prep time: ~ 20 minutes

Sauce

• 1 lb roma tomatoes (cleaned and halved)
• 1 large sweet onion (cleaned and cut into 3 rounds)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 8-10 fresh basil and or parsley leaves chiffonade for garnish

Squash

• 1 2-3 lb spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle or grind salt and pepper over the flesh and place face down on a roasting pan. Pour in water and cover with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
2. Start the grill. I use charcoal, but you could certainly use a gas grill. You want a low to medium heat.
3. In a large bowl, toss halved Roma tomatoes in 1 Tbsp of Olive and salt and pepper. Place tomatoes and onions on the grill and cook 2-3 minutes before turning over. Continually turn until all sides are slightly charred and flesh is soft.
   
4. Once the onions and tomatoes are soft, remove from the grill and place back into the large bowl to cool slightly.
5. In a food processor mince garlic and slowly add tomatoes and onions. This can get messy! You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your food processor.
6. Process tomatoes and onions until they have an even consistency. Place in a medium sized pot that has the remaining olive oil drizzled on the bottom. Simmer over medium-low heat and add the dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the spaghetti squash is ready.
7. After 30-40 minutes in the oven, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil covering the spaghetti squash.
   
8. Scrape the inside of the spaghetti squash with a fork to produce the “noodles.”
9. Plate the squash and smother with the simmering marinara. Garnish with fresh basil. You could also garnish with parmesan cheese if you are not strictly Paleo.

I make big batches of this sauce during the summer because it freezes really well. When the tomatoes are in full harvest, my family and I will get together and make 5-6 gallons of sauce and split them up into quart freezer bags. It makes for an easy weeknight meal and the taste of summer all year long! 

Sharing is caring!