Spaghetti Squash Pasta
On one of our more recent grocery store trips, I bought a spaghetti squash. I had never had it before, and had no idea how to eat it, but it sounded interesting. It was a gorgeous sunshine yellow on the outside, free of any blemishes. I sort of assumed it would be like regular squash...and I'm so glad I was wrong. Spaghetti squash is this amazing winter vegetable that when baked and forked mimics actual spaghetti pasta. It leaves you with these great strands of squash that taste however you season them (extra garlic-y for me!) and have a texture reminiscent of pasta- but way better for you! My favorite part about spaghetti squash is that at only 43 calories in a 2/3 cup serving, so you can totally pig out on it without feeling guilty! Its full of potassium, fiber, Vitamins B6+C, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
You can use this recipe in place of any pasta dish, but if you're adding an acidic tomato sauce to it, let the squash cool a bit first or it'll break down and get mushy.
*UPDATE*
We first published this recipe back in February of 2012. Since then, we refined the cooking time and added specific ingredient amounts. For some reason some of the earliest recipes I blogged were pretty numberless and vague and encouraged total creativity. I realize now that while most people have a pretty good cooking sense, not all do- and it can be really confusing and frustrating to try and guess if you're not totally comfortable in the kitchen. We hope this version is a little clearer and easier to understand, and a little more enjoyable to look at, too.
Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash of any size, halved 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced 2-4 teaspoons olive, grapeseed, or coconut oil salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. It can be easier to cut off the stem end first, then use a large, sharp knife to slice lengthwise through the squash. Scoop out the goop and seeds and toss 'em in the compost. Place the two halves face-up on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle halves with about 1-2 teaspoons of oil each. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Place into the oven and cook for about 40-50 minutes, until squash is fork tender and easily separates from the skin. Let cool about 5 minutes, then carefully run a fork through the squash, separating strands, and scoop into a serving dish. Scoop out all of the squash and dispose of the leftover skin. Serve in place of spaghetti for a gluten-free option or just to sneak in an extra serving of vegetables. Great topped with sauce or all on its own! Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
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13 Comments
Janine
3/13/2013 12:19:11 am
I love spaghetti squash. I have been eating it for years. It is even easier to cook without cutting it before hand. Just poke holes in the squash with a fork or knive and put it in the oven on a cookie sheet for around an hour, depending on the size. It is way easier to cut and the seeds just scoop right out. Plus no oil is needed since it seems to basically steam cook and is still nice and moist inside.
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Amber link
3/13/2013 01:04:17 pm
Woah, thats good to know! That seems way easier! We'll have to give it a try and update the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!!
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Janine
3/13/2013 09:10:26 pm
You're welcome. And thank you for the great recipes you have on your site. I just discovered it and can't wait to try some of them out.
Koła Pasowe link
7/17/2013 04:27:40 pm
Oh my God, one of the best cooking sites ever!
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Amber link
7/18/2013 01:44:04 am
That's the best compliment we could ever receive. Thank you!
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Can you cook the squash in the microwave instead?
8/18/2013 10:03:38 am
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Theresa Johnson
8/18/2013 10:10:05 am
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Theresa Johnson
8/18/2013 10:13:00 am
ok, so I'm getting the hang of this...I cook my spaghetti squash in a steamer, first I cut them in half and scoop out the seed. Them I put them in the steamer for about 10 minutes
Amber link
8/19/2013 05:35:22 am
Hi Theresa! I actually don't own a microwave, so I can't give any solid advice in cooking the squash using that method. I do worry, however, that the micro-waves will cook the squash too quickly and not allow the fibers in the squash to properly separate, making for a tough "pasta". Steaming the squash, however, seems like it may work. We usually just cook ours on a baking sheet in the oven, but I'm curious to know if steaming changes the texture. Let us know if you experiment!
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Nancy Jamar
1/2/2014 09:52:23 pm
One of our favorites, Amber! Nathalie loves this 'pasta' and we add toasted pine nuts and minced fresh basil...soo good!
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Melissa
1/7/2014 09:59:11 am
Thank you so much for this recipe! I just tried it for the first time (ever doing anything with spaghetti squash, just like you said) and LOVED IT!! I did not expect to get that much flavor! Thank you!
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Emily link
1/26/2014 11:03:09 pm
Thank you, I have lately been looking for information about this topic.
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Kathleen Lindaas
1/27/2014 07:04:00 am
Now I can hang up my machette!
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