made my first spaghetti squash...not sure if i did it right

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aadutton
aadutton Posts: 87
in Food and Nutrition
so i've seen a few posts about spaghetti squash and wanted to give it a try. the one i bought was fairly large, i cooked it on a cookie sheet for about 50 minutes at just under 375. i think it did what it was supposed to do when i "shredded" it with the fork. i liked it quite a lot. but, i expected it to be mushier--at least as mushy as actual pasta. i was surprised when it was much firmer than even al dente pasta--almost crunchy. so, because i've never had it before, i wanted to check--is that the correct consistency? it also wasn't especially hot the entire way through. after i put the other ingredients in (mushrooms, onion and pasta sauce), i did nuke it in the microwave for a bit. i liked it, don't get me wrong--i just want to make sure it was fully cooked? thanks!

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  • emilydmac
    emilydmac Posts: 382 Member
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    Yes- that was correct, it retains a lot of crunch. I suppose you could try overcooking it to try and see if it will soften up some more
  • mdorman8313
    mdorman8313 Posts: 109 Member
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    It was probably a little undercooked. It will be a LITTLE crunchier than al dente pasta, but it should be heated pretty much all the way through...at least mine are. I do love me some spaghetti squash!
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    I've heard some people will boil it after shredding it out of the hull. Personally, I like the slight crunch so I haven't tried to cook it further.
  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    Perhaps you could put a bowl of water in while you're baking it next time, to keep the moisture flowing?
  • Masq
    Masq Posts: 191 Member
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    When I cook it, it's always nice and soft like spaghetti. Sounds like you needed to leave it in a bit longer.
    I always put tin foil on a cookie sheet with a little pam on it and then cut the squash in half. Put the halves meat side down on the foil and cook at 350 for about half hour to 45 minutes. 45 miunutes if the squash is really big/fat.

    Congrats on trying something new! I love making spaghetti with the squash, you get so much food for a much smaller amount of calories than pasta. :love:
  • sbrBirdy
    sbrBirdy Posts: 224 Member
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    I put a little water and cook it in a glass dish, cut side down. You can definitely get it softer - I've made it into mush before... not good. If a knife goes through the shell easily, it's ready.
  • scythswife
    scythswife Posts: 1,123 Member
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    i cooked mine in a pot of hot water on the stove until piercing it with a for was easy and it came out good. i think mine may have gone a little over cooked but was still good.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    Maybe you didn't cook it long enough. Mine has a nice consistency when done. It depends on the size of the squash too. Here are instructions that match mine pretty close.
    http://www.food.com/recipe/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-77554
  • JinksE21
    JinksE21 Posts: 77 Member
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    I am assuming you cut it in half and took the seeds out before cooking... ;-) I place mine cut-side down and put some water, about 1/2"-1" deep, in the pan (make sure you use a baking dish or cookie sheet with side higher than an inch) and bake it around 375-400 degrees until the outside is soft to the touch. The water helps to steam the squash. It doesn't turn out too mushy and isn't crunchy. I like it a little less than firm and it turns out perfect every time. You can also follow the same steps and cook it in the microwave, checking every 7-8 minutes until done. With experience, you'll find the right amount of time it takes to get it the way you like it.

    Enjoy!
  • dsmpunk
    dsmpunk Posts: 262 Member
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    No matter what, it will have a bit of a crunch unless you overcook it to the point that it turns to noodleless mush. I cooked a big one last night at 400 degrees without cutting it in half for one hour. I did pierce the skin a few times with a fork.

    After an hour I cut it in half (which is much easier cooked) and scooped out the seeds (which is much more difficult), Then I stuck it in the oven for another 15 minutes. The "noodles" were pretty soft but they still had a definite crunch left in them.

    I topped it with homemade turkey meatballs, pasta sauce and parmesan. A HUGE bowl was like 400 calories. I'm talking over 2 cups here. It was really good :)
  • GamerGurl729
    GamerGurl729 Posts: 286 Member
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    I just tried spaghetti squash for the first time yesterday and I LOVED it. I'll definitely be cooking it soon. The one I tried was crunchy too, but I loved the texture.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Yes. That's right. You can always toss it in the microwave for a few minutes to cook it longer. Add a touch of water to steam it more if you must. We like it sort of crunchy.
  • aadutton
    aadutton Posts: 87
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    yes, i cut it in half length-wise and cleaned out the seeds first, and sprayed the cookie sheet with pam. i'm not THAT dense :)

    it's not that i didn't like it that way--was more just curious to see if it turned out like it was supposed to. i thought it tasted great--not a "squashy" taste at all. amazing food!

    edited to say: thank you everyone!
  • kass22185
    kass22185 Posts: 38 Member
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    i made my first one last night too, and this was my exact question for facebook! lol I baked mine in a glas dish with about an inch of water for 45 minutes at 350 and it was crunchy. I wasn't sure if it was right either. I liked it though! I topped it with some marinara and fresh grated parmesan cheese. YUM! having leftovers tonight!

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