easiest way to make spaghetti squash into spaghetti?

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doctorregenerated
doctorregenerated Posts: 188 Member
in Recipes
I did this once, and I found it pretty difficult. I baked it, cut it in half, scooped out the pits, and then with a fork kept scraping the bits out. There were pits left over that kept getting in the way of the strands, and also it was very hot, so I kept burning myself. So I guess the easiest answer for that is to wait till it cools down next time.

Is there an easier way to do this? Maybe a special tool? Or maybe change my process or not bake it or something?

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  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
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    I cut mine in half lengthwise with a good sharp knife before cooking it then scrape out the seeds. Place it cut side down in acasserole dish with about 1/2 inch of water and microwave for about 10-12 minutes depending on size. When done hold it with a potholder to scrape with a fork.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I cut mine and remove the seeds before baking it. Then just face down on aluminium foil at 400 for like 45 minutes to an hour.
  • tp7370
    tp7370 Posts: 1
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    I bake in oven, split in half, cut side down on 400 for about 45 minutes. Then remove and LET COOL DOWN! Once cooled, scrape with a fork and it will shred just like spaghetti noodles. I also rub mine down with olive oil prior to baking (flesh side) and season with salt, pepper and garlic.
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
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    Late to this thread, but there's a really lazy and easy way to prep it. The squash is rock hard, so dont bother pre-cutting it

    Pierce the whole spaghetti squash 8-10 times all around (a short sharp paring knife will do the trick)
    Drop into a glass dish, and microwave for maybe 6-8 minutes a pound on high.
    Rotate once halfway through (flip top to bottom).
    It's done when the skin deforms when you push the skin
    Take it out, let it cool somewhat, then cut in half lengthwise.
    Spoon out the seeds, and scrape down the flesh with a fork, and you're all set.

    The downside is you cant check doneness as you go, but it's basically just steaming in its shell. Piercing prevents pressure explosions. You can tune timing if you need to, but eh. If I find I pulled it out too soon, I put it face down on the dish and add a minute or two at a time depending. Based on microwave wattage and starting temp. I do about 7 minutes per pound w/1100 watts for a 2 lb squash starting at room temp and get about 2-3 cups (700g) yield.
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
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    I cut mine in half lengthwise with a good sharp knife before cooking it then scrape out the seeds. Place it cut side down in acasserole dish with about 1/2 inch of water and microwave for about 10-12 minutes depending on size. When done hold it with a potholder to scrape with a fork.

    This... Works great
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I put the whole squash in the slow cooker with a little water and let it go on low all day. By the time I get home it's done!
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
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    I follow the Hungry Girl's recommendation on cooking:

    Microwave whole squash for 3 - 4 minutes, until soft enough to cut. Halve lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Fill a large baking pan with 1/2 inch water and place squash halves in the pan, cut sides down. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Scrape out squash strands with a fork, and transfer to a strainer to drain excess moisture.
  • LITtlerMeCO
    LITtlerMeCO Posts: 130 Member
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    I follow the Hungry Girl's recommendation on cooking:

    Microwave whole squash for 3 - 4 minutes, until soft enough to cut. Halve lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Fill a large baking pan with 1/2 inch water and place squash halves in the pan, cut sides down. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Scrape out squash strands with a fork, and transfer to a strainer to drain excess moisture.

    I follow this fairly closely-pierce, microwave for six to 10 minutes, I cut either lengthwise or around the middle depending on size (the smaller ones I cut around the middle for longer strands), scoop out seeds, scrape out the strands, mix with some Grapeseed oil and garlic for 40 to 60 minutes stirring halfway through.
  • Compton1950
    Compton1950 Posts: 6 Member
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    bump
  • LITtlerMeCO
    LITtlerMeCO Posts: 130 Member
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    I mentioned this at the office and one of my co-workers loves this recipe. After you master the cooking you might want to give it a try:

    http://www.annesage.com/blog/2014/05/recipe-paleo-pizza-bake-with-spaghetti-squash.html

    I ran it through the recipe feature here, calculated it with Turkey Pepperoni, and said it served 2. It came up with about 225 calories a serving.
  • MistressPi
    MistressPi Posts: 514 Member
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    The easiest way to cook spaghetti squash is as follows. You don't need to cut it or remove the seeds before baking. Here's the method from Martha Stewart.

    "Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a small sharp knife, prick squash all over. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. When cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands."

    Baking the squash whole and without water yields IMO a better flavor. The shreds are a bit dryer and some of them may caramelize. HTH

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