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To make the spaghetti slider cups: Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine the squash (see note below for squash prep info), cornmeal, olive oil, and seasonings.
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Stir to combine.
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Grease a 12-count standard size muffin tin, then scoop 1/4 cup of the squash mixture into each tin.
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Use your fingers to press the mixture into the middle and up the sides to form a cup.
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Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges have browned.
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Allow to cool in the pan before removing them.
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To make the sauce: Using an immersion blender (or a Cuisnart), combine the mayo, tomatoes (along with the oil theyre in), lemon juice, salt, and roasted garlic (squeeze the roasted garlic flesh out of the peel).
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Pulse to combine.
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Set aside.
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Once the cups have finished baking, and you remove them from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 450 F. Place the meatballs on a non-stick, non-lined baking sheet (you can use a little cooking spray if you need to).
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Bake for 15-17 minutes, turning them about halfway through.
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Allow meatballs to cool before assembling the sliders.
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To assemble the sliders: Place a little arugula or basil in the bottom of a spaghetti cup.
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Add a dollop of sauce, then a meatball.
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Finish with a little more sauce and, if you wish, a sprinkle of cheese (vegan or parmesan).
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Serve on a bed of arugula.
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Notes: 1.
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This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, and dairy-free (if you use regular mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese it will only be gluten-free and vegetarian).
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2.
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These taste good served hot or cold.
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3.
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The spaghetti portion can be made up to 24 hours ahead.
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Simply allow the cups to cool after baking, then place them, in a single layer, in an airtight container.
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Refrigerate until you are ready to use them.
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You can use them straight out of the fridge or reheat them for a few minutes.
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4.
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The sauce portion can also be made ahead.
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Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
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For the best flavor, I would suggest making the sauce no more than 3 days in advance.
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5.
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To prepare a spaghetti squash: Cut a squash in half lengthwise.
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Place the halves, cut-side down, into a glass baking dish (they dont have to fit perfectly...if you need to lean them up against the side a little bit, thats OK).
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Add about 1 inch of water, then place them in the oven and bake at 400 F for about 45 minutes, or until you can easily insert a knife into the squash.
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(For a smaller squash it may take only 30 minutes.
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Just keep checking with a knife to see when its done).
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Also, be sure to check on the water level while the squash bakes.
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If it starts to go down, just add a little more water.
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Once the squash is done, remove it from the oven and allow to cool.
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Use a spoon (I find a grapefruit spoon works best) to gently scrape the seeds out of the middle.
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While some people prefer to remove the seeds prior to baking, I find that they come out much easier once the squash has baked.
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To make the spaghetti simply use a fork to scrape the squash into strands and out of the skin.
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You can use the squash immediately or store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
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I typically use a large spaghetti squash so I have enough for multiple recipes, but to get the 3 cups needed for this recipe you will need either one small squash or about 1/3 of a large squash.
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6.
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To make the roasted garlic: Take the head of garlic.
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Peel off any loose skin and then cut off the top to expose the cloves inside.
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Place the head of garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, then drizzle with just a little olive oil (no more than 1 teaspoon).
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Loosely wrap the foil up around the garlic to seal the head in.
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Place this garlic foil packet on a baking sheet or in a small baking dish and bake at 400 F until the garlic becomes golden-brown, about 35-45 minutes.
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Allow the garlic to cool for 10-15 minutes before gently squeezing the cloves out of the peels.
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For this slider recipe, I followed the steps above to prepare the head of garlic, but then I baked it in a small baking dish alongside the spaghetti squash cups and then transferred it to the meatball baking sheet to finish roasting it with the meatballs.
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You could also roast the garlic while you are roasting the spaghetti squash as they both roast at the same oven temperature for the same amount of time.
