My New Favorite Spaghetti Squash Prep Method ...

mjbnj0001

Pressure cooker. Cut squash once perpendicular to long axis, place cut ends down on wire rack in cooker, add 1-2 cups plain water (below the level of your rack so that the squash is steamed and not braised), cook at pressure about 20 minutes (you might need to adjust your times based on the size of the squash and specific cooker - I'm still using my ol' trusty stovetop, jiggle-top pressure cooker). Seeds scrape out super easily, and the spaghetti flesh nearly plops out of the squash shell without a lot of persuasion. Then you can do whatever you were going to do to make a finished dish out of it. If you let it go too long under pressure, I suspect you'll get a mush result.

I'll still bake for that dry-cook, roasted approach, bit I don't think I'll be boiling it any longer for wet cooking.

Need2Exerc1se

Grilled is my favorite because I love the caramelization and smoky flavor.

But the quickest and easiest is the microwave. 8-12 min, depending on size of the squash, and it's ready to eat. You can either cut in have and put on a microwave safe plate (with a little water if you wish) or stab it a couple of times and cut after it's done. The hard rind cuts easily after cooking.

Grimmerick

My mom grew some ridiculously large sweet potatoes, maybe I'll try them in the pressure cooker. Never thought about trying that

Wynterbourne

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Grilled is my favorite because I love the caramelization and smoky flavor.

But the quickest and easiest is the microwave. 8-12 min, depending on size of the squash, and it's ready to eat. You can either cut in have and put on a microwave safe plate (with a little water if you wish) or stab it a couple of times and cut after it's done. The hard rind cuts easily after cooking.

I do basically the same. Split in half, cut side down in about half an inch of water in a baking dish. Averaging 10 minutes depending on size. So much easier.

kaye4health

I cook mine in microwave. jab knife in to center all over it, then put on microwave safe plate and nuke 5 min. then turn it (use oven mit), then cook another 2 to 3 min. keep doing this till fork punctures the skin easily. Take out, let sit a few minutes. then cut it in half. (be careful, will be hot), scoop out seeds and take fork, make spaghetti strands, so easy and simple. (just make sure you puncture it to center with knife in a few spots. this lets the steam excape and then it won't blow up in microwave. If I find good sale, then I buy more, put in pressure cooker whole (don't need to cut it), cook approx. 17 min. then take out and let sit for a few minutes. then cut it in half, take seeds out etc.

Kadoober

I just pressured cooked one the other day - I love it!

a_candler

usually no need to cut, I put mine in whole in the instant pot.

mjbnj0001

crazyravr wrote: »

All great except that a good sized squash will not fit that way into a pressure cooker. You have to look for a smaller squashes. You are missing the flavour of roasted squash for sure.

I have the advantage of using my trusty ol' jiggle-top stovetop pressure cooker. 8L capacity.

I lust after all the advantages of the Instant Pot and its electric, multipurpose kin, but this traditional one is still doing a good job for me. For large batches especially.

Last night and tonight, I oven-roasted butternut squash as sides to the evening meal. Last night, a maple-cinnamon flavor; tonight, "southwestern style." As for spaghetti squash, it's good to have multiple options, both pressure steaming for "wet" cooking, and bake/roast for "dry" - really different results.

P.S. -- I don't know if I've said this elsewhere, but I see you've got a great, healthy-looking food repertoire - and a good eye for presentation/photos. I just retired, and have moved into the primary-cook role for the still-working rest of my family. I look at some of your posts and think about reverse-engineering them for our use. Good stuff.