has anyone ever tried spaghetti squash?

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TeamLeela
TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
in Recipes
Well I got an overwhelming number of responses for the mashed cauliflower. Now I am looking for something that resembles pasta. Usually I get the whole wheat pasta and its good, but I keep seeing spaghetti squash recipes and I was actually tempted to buy a spaghetti squash because I saw them for the first time at my fruit market. (I'm sure they were always there, I was never looked for it). So how do you like it? How does it taste? does it remind you of spaghetti or more like stringy squash? Do you use marina sauce and dress it up like you would normal spaghetti?
Any input would be great!

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  • Buccinator
    Buccinator Posts: 79
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    I LOVE spaghetti squash! It's crunchy, so you're not really going to believe it's pasta, but other than that you might be able to trick yourself. Other than that I don't feel it has any drawbacks. It's a blank canvas, so you can totally put any sort of sauce on it. I've been wanting one SO bad because I have this fantasy sauce of Laughing Cow, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomato, fresh mushrooms...but I can't find any spaghetti squash here.
  • Westly
    Westly Posts: 6
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    Yes!

    It's actually more fun than tasting of spaghetti. But, considering that the flavor of pasta is so nil anyway when you use a delicious sauce, try using a veggie peeler and making 'fettuccine' out of a cucumber! It's just as delicious when dressed up with a strong sauce!
  • mturner25
    mturner25 Posts: 4
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    I also LOVE it. It's not like pasta, but if you like squash you will really like it.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I love spaghetti squash! I could eat it every day. I think it has a great texture - if you cook it enough it's not too crunchy, but it is a little more crunchy than pasta, but it has a very mild almost non-existant flavor, so it takes on the flavoring of whatever you cook it with. I like eating it as a spaghetti substitute or plain with some black pepper mixed in. There are tons of creative ways to use it, though - so pick out a recipe that sounds good and give it a try!
  • smelltheroses
    smelltheroses Posts: 56 Member
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    Absolutely love spaghetti squash. Even my 10 yr old loves it and would rather have it than pasta.
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,086 Member
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    Love it! I don't eat it like spaghetti, but as a side dish. Here's the recipe I use for it: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spaghetti-Squash-Saute/Detail.aspx

    I eat it a few times a week
  • KerryB1977
    KerryB1977 Posts: 86 Member
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    Absolutely love spaghetti squash! to me it takes spices well and in my opinion better than spaghetti pasta. try it for sure! :happy:
  • aawh
    aawh Posts: 96 Member
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    I cooked one last night! I love it too and also just use it as a replacement for noodles.

    I think it has a little bit of a nutty taste to it and is a bit crunchy compared to pasta. I would eat it by itself. I'm planning to use leftovers as the 'noodle' for a version of a tuna noodle casserole. Other than that I have used it with a marinara sauce, a pesto sauce and in a sort of veggie primavera type sauce.

    My problem with it is cutting it in half to bake it! I don't know if I just have crappy knives or what, but it takes me about 20 minutes of sawing back and forth to cut the stinkin' thing all the way through. And it always comes out lopsided!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    My problem with it is cutting it in half to bake it! I don't know if I just have crappy knives or what, but it takes me about 20 minutes of sawing back and forth to cut the stinkin' thing all the way through. And it always comes out lopsided!

    A tip - If you have an electric knife, like what is used for Turkeys, they work great for cutting spaghetti squash!
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,086 Member
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    My problem with it is cutting it in half to bake it! I don't know if I just have crappy knives or what, but it takes me about 20 minutes of sawing back and forth to cut the stinkin' thing all the way through. And it always comes out lopsided!

    A tip - If you have an electric knife, like what is used for Turkeys, they work great for cutting spaghetti squash!

    Fantastic tip - so going to use this.
  • MaureenH39
    MaureenH39 Posts: 315 Member
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    Leela....I have not had it in forever, but I like it. I used to just eat it as a side dish when my mom made it...have never tried with any kind of sauce or anything.
  • pmjsmom
    pmjsmom Posts: 1,926 Member
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    My problem with it is cutting it in half to bake it! I don't know if I just have crappy knives or what, but it takes me about 20 minutes of sawing back and forth to cut the stinkin' thing all the way through. And it always comes out lopsided!

    A tip - If you have an electric knife, like what is used for Turkeys, they work great for cutting spaghetti squash!

    Fantastic tip - so going to use this.

    Another tip--poke it a bit with a fork and microwave it for a couple of minutes. Much easier to cut!

    We're having spaghetti squash tonight--this time as spaghetti but I'm going to try that recipe, too, it sounds really good!
  • rebmcg
    rebmcg Posts: 29
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    I cooked one last night! I love it too and also just use it as a replacement for noodles.

    I think it has a little bit of a nutty taste to it and is a bit crunchy compared to pasta. I would eat it by itself. I'm planning to use leftovers as the 'noodle' for a version of a tuna noodle casserole. Other than that I have used it with a marinara sauce, a pesto sauce and in a sort of veggie primavera type sauce.

    My problem with it is cutting it in half to bake it! I don't know if I just have crappy knives or what, but it takes me about 20 minutes of sawing back and forth to cut the stinkin' thing all the way through. And it always comes out lopsided!

    I have the same problem. A friend told me just to poke some holes in it and bake it whole. I haven't tried this yet but I intend to try it.

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