Does spaghetti squash taste like pasta?

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sbwood888
sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
in Recipes
Do you actually put spaghetti sauce on it? I want to try this, but I hate to spend the time and $ on something and not like it. I just wanted to ask those of you who have actually tried it--Did you really feel like you were eating pasta? Thanks! :smile:
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  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
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    I love spaghetti squash. no it does not taste like pasta to me, but once I put in some Ragu Pizza quick sauce (which has the lowest carbs) and some melted laughing cow cheese and garlic----NOW it tastes like pasta. In fact, I am making this tonight for dinner.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I LOVE spaghetti squash. I wouldn't say it tastes like pasta - it doesn't have a very strong taste of its own - it tends to absorb the taste of what you put on it. The texture is a bit different from pasta - more chewy, less soft (unless you eat your pasta on the less-well-done side). I eat it different ways - like spaghetti w/spaghetti sauce, as a casserole (mixed with sauce, cheese, veggies, etc.), plain with a little bit of pepper on top... it's very low cal and filling and a great addition to any diet.
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
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    I am Italian and have not touched pasta in six months, and really I could care less about it. My success is more important and with foods like sphagetti squash and the rest I described above, it is totally possible.

    Here is another idea---take zucchini and peel it, skin and all, until you get to the seeds, then throw it out. Take about 3 of them and put them in pan with 1/4 cup of chicken broth, 2 wedges of laughing cow cheese, garlic and pepper, cover and steam, stir, steam, stir, etc, until the cheese is melted and noodles are soft. My husband who is not dieting begs for these, and swears it tastes just like alfredo.
  • SeattleLady
    SeattleLady Posts: 70
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    It is not the taste that is like pasta, it is the consistancy and "role" that pasta plays in your food. Absorbtion and texture for the most part. Cut it in half and boil in a small amount of water open side down, once you can put a fork in it and the "meat" pulls away easily (about ten minutes) then take it out of the water. Hold the rounded side with a dish towel as it will be hot and "scrape" the sides with a fork to create "noodles" then later with a large spoon to get everything out. (they are a little pricey, so I like to get it all). Then put a small amount of garlic and olive oil in a frying pan and put the squash in it frying for a couple of minutes. Try not to overcook. Top with favorite pasta sauce. Try to make the sauce really thick since the squash absorbs water and you don't want it to be too mushy. You will love it!

    Also great topped witha fresh piece of broiled salmon. :)
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    I LOVE spaghetti squash! Yes you put pasta sauce on it and eat it like spaghetti. It looks EXACTLY like spaghetti when you put it on your plate. It doesn't really have much taste so it mostly absorbs the taste of the sauce. It is really good and worth the money.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    I LOVE spaghetti squash! Yes you put pasta sauce on it and eat it like spaghetti. It looks EXACTLY like spaghetti when you put it on your plate. It doesn't really have much taste so it mostly absorbs the taste of the sauce. It is really good and worth the money.
  • anharrison
    anharrison Posts: 74 Member
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    I've used it once out of curiousity. What I did (for a first timer) was incorporate whole wheat spaghetti and mix it in with spaghetti squash so I could eat more. It definitely upped my portion amounts and not the calories!! I feel that it had the texture of a shredded carrot...not bad but I cannot rave about it.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    It's squash, so no it' doesn't taste like pasta. But it's all about what you DO with pasta...sauces, sides, etc.

    I saw a great tip recently for people that are just starting to explore using spaghetti squash: just do half spaghetti squash and half spaghetti in your next dish. So when you would have had 2 cups of pasta in the past, you have one cup pasta and one cup spaghetti squash: 2 cup total serving size, but not many more calories than a single serving of pasta.
  • OliveBruises
    OliveBruises Posts: 68 Member
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    If you are looking for a pasta substitute, you could also try tofu shirataki. This is what I always use in place of pasta. 20 calories per 4oz serving. I'm subscribed to Hungry-Girl.com & she always raves about them. So, I finally tracked them down and tried them for myself and I love them! They don't taste exactly like pasta, the texture is a bit different at first but then it goes away. And I would suggest rinsing and boiling them first before you serve them. But other than that, they rock! There are a few varieties - fettuchini, spaghetti and angel hair. I believe they are coming out with a macaroni soon too!
  • Frostyzwife
    Frostyzwife Posts: 2
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    I've had it and it tastes like it has a buttery flavor so I just added garlic and a little parmasean cheese...delish! Congrats on your weight loss, this is my first day!....I'm trying....
  • rkeenley
    rkeenley Posts: 1
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    It looks sort of like spaghetti, but it has a delicate squash flavor. Kind of crunchy too, if you don't overcook it. It's delicious with a little butter, salt and pepper. I have also had it in the shell topped with homemade marinara with veggies and a little ground sausage - makes a pretty satisfying and low-cal meal.
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. I will try it. I REALLY miss pasta. Since I can only have about 1 cup of real pasta and I WANT at least twice that much, I rarely make it--it just tempts me too much. I am definitely gonna try the squash. EXCITED now! :laugh:
  • skshep
    skshep Posts: 30
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    I read all of the comments above but I've never tried Spaghetti Squash. How would I cook it if I wanted to make it as much like spaghetti as possible? Boil it? I've never even seen it before but I'm on a MISSION for some pasta substitue lol. I cannot simply 'reduce' my whole wheat pasta portion...that's just a tease!:laugh:
  • koizumi6
    koizumi6 Posts: 274 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. I will try it. I REALLY miss pasta. Since I can only have about 1 cup of real pasta and I WANT at least twice that much, I rarely make it--it just tempts me too much. I am definitely gonna try the squash. EXCITED now! :laugh:

    What I would do is mix that cup of pasta with the spaghetti squash, then your portion increase substantially and only by 45 calories a cup or so. I did that last night with a spaghetti squash casserole, prepared it just like I would spaghetti but added the squash. It was delicious!

    Also- the Tofu shiritaki noodles are NASTY. They taste and smell like fish. If you are craving pasta, sure try them... but don't say I didn't warn ya ;)
  • Laura_beau
    Laura_beau Posts: 1,029 Member
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    I've just pleaded for an answer in the 'foods' forum- but does anyone know where I can get a spaghetti squash in the UK?

    I'm dying to try one!
  • suzitkd
    suzitkd Posts: 110
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    I've heard they do them in Waitrose, might be worth a try!
  • Lyndzo
    Lyndzo Posts: 142
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    I am a pasta addict and I love spaghetti squash. It doesn't taste exactly like pasta, but with spaghetti sauce on it it's very good.

    My boyfriend makes it the best. He cuts it in half (scraping the seeds and guck out). Then he uses some light (no salt) becel to cover the squash and pieces of fresh chopped garlic. He puts it in the oven for about 40 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Then you take it out (cool for a few mins) and scrape it out and it looks like spaghetti. The becel with the garlic adds a nice flavour.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I myself prefer all of the other squashes. Spaghetti squash seems like too much work!
  • LarryPGH
    LarryPGH Posts: 349 Member
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    I am a pasta addict and I love spaghetti squash. It doesn't taste exactly like pasta, but with spaghetti sauce on it it's very good.

    My boyfriend makes it the best. He cuts it in half (scraping the seeds and guck out). Then he uses some light (no salt) becel to cover the squash and pieces of fresh chopped garlic. He puts it in the oven for about 40 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Then you take it out (cool for a few mins) and scrape it out and it looks like spaghetti. The becel with the garlic adds a nice flavour.

    there you go! That's the way I do it -- boiling just seems icky... wouldn't that really water-log it down?

    anyway, roasting brings out more flavor! I use extra virgin olive oil instead of margarine, though -- just a little, though: less than a teaspoon on each side. i just rub it on the cut side in order to enhance the browning.
  • jipper44
    jipper44 Posts: 111
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    I cut it in half and cook it in the microwave (takes 10 minutes)...I used to bake it/boil it but then discovered that the microwave works just fine and is a lot faster :) I throw in some garlic and a little bit of salt for taste once the strands are out of the shell, maybe a little olive oil if I feel like it. With a really good red sauce and some ground turkey...YUMMO! I highly recommend it! It's definitely not a spaghetti substitute but it satisfies my cravings well enough.

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