Spaghetti Squash

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kvachon
kvachon Posts: 24 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have never had this but really want to try it. Does anyone have any good recipes? I know nothing about cooking this lol
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Replies

  • d8402l
    d8402l Posts: 23 Member
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    I've done it a few different ways. I usually cook my squash in the microwave because it's faster. Then I either have it with spaghetti sauce or I toss the squash in some butter, garlic, oregano and rosemary. I have also made it with a little spaghetti sauce and "fried" eggplant ( I bake my eggplant, but I batter it and it comes out almost as if it were fried.)

    In my opinion spaghetti squash tastes almost like spaghetti so you can use it as a substitute for a lot of meals you would use spaghetti noodles in. Also I like to save the seeds and roast them with a little sea salt. They taste like pumpkin seeds and are a nice little snack.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    This is my favorite spaghetti squash recipe:

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/01/spaghetti-squash-with-meat-sauce-46-pts.html?m=1
  • twinmomma34
    twinmomma34 Posts: 3
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    Hi , I just had spaghetti squash for dinner tonight! I just used it in place if pasta, but I also stir fry it with other veggies like zucchini , mushroom, bell peppers & onions which makes a delish side dish! To cook it, I just rinse it off , then microwave for 5 mins, then slice it lengthways , scoop out the seeds, then place it face down in a shallow dish with 1/2 inch of water & cook in microwave 12-15 mind.
  • kvachon
    kvachon Posts: 24 Member
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    So you microwave it before cutting it? Thanks for all the suggestions
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
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    I make turkey meatballs with sauce and eat it over spaghetti squash. I also love spaghetti squash au gratin. Its a great replacement for hashbrown casserole.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    However you're going to cook it make sure you stab it a few times to let the steam out. If you don't it will blow up in your microwave! I stab it and put it in the oven whole for about an hour while I'm cooking something else. Let it cool, cut it open, scoop out the seeds then the flesh. It doesn't taste like much of anything to me, sort of like zucchini which is a relative of. You can pretty much mix it with anything and it takes on that flavor.
  • cathywishart3
    cathywishart3 Posts: 8
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    Simple way to cook it -- cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Fill cavity about 1/3 way with water. Cover in plastic wrap. Put it in the microwave for between 6 to 8 minutes (depending on size). Let it cool and drain off water. Take a fork and scoop out the squash - it will look like spaghetti. Then top it the way you like your spaghetti topped.

    When I first used it, I mixed about 2/3 spaghetti squash with 1/3 spaghetti. Now, I don't need the regular spaghetti at all - I don't even miss it.
  • NaurielR
    NaurielR Posts: 429 Member
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    You can cut it in half before hand or cook it whole, I prefer going through the extra difficultly of halving it before hand, because its easier to check for doneness that way. If you do chose to nuke it whole, make sure that you puncture it a couple times to allow steam to escape. Otherwise your spaghetti squash will explode.

    For a largish squash, I cook it for about 15 minutes. Smaller squashes take less time, and the art of nuking spaghetti squash isn't very exact. Two similar sizes squashes can coom at different times. It takes some practice to really get the hang of if.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 412 Member
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    I nuke it like others have said and either mix it with pasta and sauce or saute it with a little olive oil and garlic.
  • marsellient
    marsellient Posts: 591 Member
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    Just had some for dinner the other night...first time in years. I cut it in half, scraped out the seeds and baked it cut side down for an hour at 400F, then cut side up for 10 minutes or so longer because we don't like it mucky. After scraping it out I tossed it with some shredded Parmesan and topped it with some roasted cherry tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, onions and portobellos with some white beans and parsley mixed in for the last few minutes of roasting. It was excellent!
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
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    Oh, and I cook it whole bc I broke 2 knives trying to cut the first one I ever had in half. I used to always put it in the oven for an hour. I didn't poke it with a fork when I did it in the over. However, in the microwave, I still throw it in whole, but poke it with a fork now. After about 10 minutes, I take it out, cut it in half, and put it back into the microwave for another 5 min. It seems drier in the microwave, which is what we prefer in our house. In the oven, it seems like their is too much liquid and it waters down the sauces.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    Spaghetti Squash is actually one of my favorite foods. I like it served like spaghetti noodles. I fork the squash strands out after cooking it and eating it with turkey meat sauce like spaghetti.

    I cut mine in half lengthwise (I find it easier to scoop the seeds out before it cooks than when it is soft and they have cooked in), scoop out seeds, season with seasonings, and cook cut side down at 375 degrees for an hour in the oven. I usually make my spaghetti meat sauce while it is cooking!
  • Heidi64
    Heidi64 Posts: 211 Member
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    I love it with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar! Cooked in microwave or oven. Yum!!
  • AthenaRox
    AthenaRox Posts: 8 Member
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    My favorite is to use in place of pasta in a frittata to save carbs and calories and you cannot taste the difference. I love spaghetti squash. I cook ahead in the microwave, cut in half, seeded, in a covered glass casserole dish so that it retains the moisture to steam and does not explode all over the inside of the microwave. Replace any pasta, tastes great.
  • bexhoke
    bexhoke Posts: 6 Member
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    This is a great recipe I tried yesterday with spaghetti squash:

    http://greenlitebites.com/2012/01/16/chicken-mushrooms-peas/

    Turned out delish! I also love it with tomato sauce and veggies.
  • NimotheFrog
    NimotheFrog Posts: 29
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    Hi!

    I just tried Spaghetti squash the other day! My hubby cut it in half and put it in the over for maybe 40 minutes. When it was done, he put sauce over it and we ate it just like spaghetti! And it wasn't too far off from the texture....surprisingly good!

    We are going to make a casserole next time :)


    I've been on a squash kick.. Check out Kabocha squash sometime, it's FABULOUS! Cut, coat in coconut oil and put in the oven, season with some salt and pepper.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    I love it. Lately I've been mixing it with indian curry sauce, it's super yummy.
  • kathy53b
    kathy53b Posts: 33 Member
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    I really enjoy spaghetti squash
    here is a link to some ideals and recipes
    http://www.fabulousfoods.com/articles/19943/discovering-spaghetti-squash

    Enjoy
    Kathy
  • dakotawitch
    dakotawitch Posts: 190 Member
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    We eat it pretty often around here. We bake it in the oven for 30-40 minutes, then pull the shreds out. While it's cooking, we sautee an onion and garlic in olive oil. Then add a bag of Morningstar Grillers crumbles -- meat eaters can use ground beef or turkey -- and brown that with the onion and garlic. Add a jar of your favorite homemade or bought sauce, and you have a lovely Bolognese-type sauce. Using the Grillers brings the fat waaaaay down. Pour it over the spaghetti sauce shreds/strings, top with a little Parmesean, and have with a salad. AMAZING.
  • ultrahush
    ultrahush Posts: 23 Member
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    I too love spaghetti squash with meat sauce, but this recipe is my new favorite: http://www.janssushibar.com/creamy-pumpkin-pasta/ sooo good!

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