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By Sophie Van Tiggelen 7 Comments

One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole

One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole

Any casserole lovers around here? I’ve already got my hand raised! And as much as I love a good, comforting casserole, I love anything Mediterranean even more.

Enter what’s possibly my favorite hybrid yet…the Mediterranean Meatball Casserole! I’m of the mind that a casserole is a gift that keeps on giving; it’s warm and delicious the first night, and as the leftovers do their thing in the fridge it somehow gets even better.

In this case, the sauce seems to thicken a bit and the spaghetti squash somehow absorbs all of those savory flavors!
The best part of this dish? The meatball recipe is likely to give you more than you need, so you have some to stock away for snacks and meals throughout the week!

One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole

Happy cooking, friends! – This recipe was created by Amanda Runnels (from Unrefined Junkie) for A Squirrel in the Kitchen.

Amanda Runnels
Amanda Runnels

One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole

5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Servings: 0
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: AIP, Paleo
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs and spaghetti squash:
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chuck (or ground beef)
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 kalamata olives, diced
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons cassava flour
  • 1½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
For the casserole:
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1¼ teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 13.5 oz cans of coconut cream, cream only (set about 4 tablespoons of the water from the can aside)
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

Equipment

  • Two large baking sheets
  • parchment paper
  • 2-3 quart ceramic or glass casserole dish
  • Large skillet

Method
 

For the meatballs and spaghetti squash:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine all the ingredients except the spaghetti squash and olive oil in a large bowl. Knead together until thoroughly combined.
  3. Use a cookie scoop to portion out mixture and roll into 1½-inch balls.
  4. Place the meatballs on one of the baking sheets and transfer to the oven on the middle rack.
  5. Place the spaghetti squash face side down on the second baking sheet and transfer to the oven on the middle rack as well. If you don't have enough room, place the spaghetti squash on the bottom rack.
  6. Bake the meatballs for 30-40 minutes or until done through.
  7. Bake the spaghetti squash until tender, about 45 minutes.
  8. When the spaghetti squash is done, remove from oven and “shred” the meat with a fork into
    the casserole dish. Leave the oven on as you put together the casserole.
For assembling and cooking the casserole:
  1. Toss the spinach with the shredded spaghetti squash in the casserole dish.
  2. Heat up the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the coconut cream and seasonings. Simmer for 7-10 minutes on low-medium heat.
  5. Use a ladle to evenly distribute the sauce onto the spaghetti squash. If needed, add a bit of the
    coconut water around the edges of the spaghetti squash (Optional. I found this made for extra
    "sauciness").
  6. Add the meatballs by pressing them into the spaghetti squash mixture.
  7. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until warmed through completely. Garnish with
    parsley.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above may be “affiliate links or Amazon affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Filed Under: AIP Latest Recipes, AIP Meat recipes, AIP Vegetable recipes, Quick & Easy AIP Meals Tagged With: casserole, meatballs, olives, one-pot, spaghetti squash

About Sophie Van Tiggelen

Sophie Van Tiggelen is a passionate foodie, recipe developer, author, and photographer. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2009, she used the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to reverse her condition, and today, Sophie lives a full and vibrant life free from the anxiety and flare-ups that often accompany autoimmune diseases. With her food and lifestyle blog, A Squirrel in the Kitchen, Sophie shares her AIP experience and empowers others to develop new habits to promote good health and wellness. Through years of experience, she has developed simple strategies to be successful on AIP, including numerous mouth-watering, allergen-free recipes that everyone (even those without autoimmune diseases) can enjoy. Sophie is on a mission to make the Autoimmune Protocol - and all that it encompasses - more accessible and sustainable for anyone looking for a more nutritious, more delicious, more health-conscious life.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suzy says

    February 18, 2020 at 11:29 am

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. I tweaked the recipe a little because I didn’t have spaghetti squash on hand. Instead I used spiralized sweet potato. And I used a pound of beef with 1/2 pound of lamb. The meatballs were very juicy. The coconut sauce was so amazing in this casserole. Thank you for the recipe! My spouse gave it a 10/10.

    Reply
  2. Sarah L says

    May 30, 2020 at 10:22 am

    5 stars
    These meatballs had so much flavor- such a comforting meal and definitely going into our regular rotation!

    Reply
  3. Rebecca says

    July 26, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    This was so delicious! Our whole family loved it. The sauce was so creamy and flavorful. I could eat this every day and not get sick of it.

    Reply
  4. Krista says

    January 18, 2021 at 11:14 pm

    The recipe and instructions call for coconut cream but the link is
    For coconut milk. Do we use cans of coconut cream or just the cream from the top of the coconut milk? The volume will not be the same
    if I use 2 full cans of coconut cream.

    Reply
  5. Karina Crain says

    March 3, 2021 at 7:15 am

    Made this for dinner last night and replaced pork with Turkey. Omg this is sooo good for anyone trying the Pegan diet to reduce inflammation and wants a savory & hearty meal with lots of flavor!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable #304 says:
    February 12, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    […] One-Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole from A Squirrel in the Kitchen *This casserole sounds rich in flavor! […]

    Reply
  2. AIP Ground Meat Recipe Roundup! | Real Food and Love says:
    August 10, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    […] One Pot Mediterranean Meatball Casserole from A Squirrel in the Kitchen beef and pork […]

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Sophie - welcome to the blog! I am using the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to live well with my autoimmune condition (Hashimoto's). Let me show you how I recovered my health and energy through diet and lifestyle adjustments!

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