Another day, another squash.
I’m sorry if y’all are tired of hearing about them and I debated posting about this today but guess what? Spaghetti squash deserves some love, too! Plus, I keep inheriting squashes. Just last night my neighbor gave me an acorn squash…I don’t turn these things down!
Truth is, I’ve never been too big of a fan of spaghetti squash.
I never really bought into the whole low carb thing, subbing pasta out for squash. In my opinion, f you want pasta, eat some darn pasta! No matter what you do to it, replacing delicious spaghetti with squash just won’t taste as good.
That being said, I want to like spaghetti squash more and this guy was on sale at Trader Joe’s the other day so I bought it.
It’s sort of one of those things you look at the store and then pass by because you’re not entirely sure what to do with it. It kinda has that dinosaur egg look going on and all.
Well, I’ve only cooked spaghetti squash a few times in my life but here’s how I do it. First, you saw the sucker in half.
And then you lay both halves face down on a lined baking sheet and bake for about forty five minutes at four hundred degrees.
I always prick the squash with a fork, kinda like when you bake a potato. It lets the steam out!
You’ll know when it’s done because it will feel really tender to the touch. Now scoop out the seeds and behold the spaghetti!
It should be tender enough for you to drag a fork or spoon through and get everything out. I like to toss the “spaghetti” with a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and serve it as a side-dish for something like pork chops or roast chicken.
Another interesting idea would be to sub it out for the zucchini in this pizza…I might try that today actually!
Or you could just disregard everything I just told you about it not being as good as real spaghetti and serve it up with some big juicy meatballs and call it a night.
Estela @ Weekly Bite
October 1, 2010 at 10:45 amYou can always add a big ole’ hunk of garlic bread 🙂 That’s what I would do… I need my carbs 🙂
Heather (Heather's Dish)
October 1, 2010 at 10:46 amor all 3? i mean, i just don’t know if i could choose 🙂
Tina
October 1, 2010 at 10:47 amI don’t really do spaghetti squash as a sub for pasta either. I like having a smaller portion of good pasta and then bulking it up with veggies fine, but not getting rid of the pasta entirely. I think spaghetti squash can make for a decent side or pasta addition though.
Katherine @ Left Coast Contessa
October 1, 2010 at 10:48 amooh yes! It would be amazing with garlic bread!
Jen
October 1, 2010 at 10:48 amWould it make a difference if you took the seeds out before you roasted it?
Geneviève
October 1, 2010 at 11:51 amI always scoop out the seeds in the middle before I cook it – I find this much easier!
Jessica @ How Sweet
October 1, 2010 at 10:48 amI like it… but not as pasta!
Kim@Everstrong
October 1, 2010 at 10:49 amHmmm, this was new to me, but I wanna try! I like to bake chicken in basil pesto for 25 min, then cover w tomato and mozzarella cheese for 5 min, the spaghetti squash would make a good side in place of angel hair. thx for the idea!
Bethany @ More Fruit Please
October 1, 2010 at 10:50 amCinnamon with spaghetti squash? I like it!! This week, I grated up some zucchini to go along with my spaghetti squash for a little splash of color.
jenna
October 1, 2010 at 10:51 amI love spaghetti squash!! it’s amazing! i used to think people made spaghetti out of butternut squash and I was really confused for a very long time until i found a squash at the store with a stick that said spaghetti squash on it!!! I stood there comepletely dumbfound and then snatched it up!! i’ve loved it every since!
i bet this was deliscious with your turkey balls.
hippierunner
October 1, 2010 at 10:51 amI have never even heard of that until now! Or I didn’t realize what it was. I think I’m going to check some out, thanks for the tutorial!
wendy
October 1, 2010 at 10:52 amLooks delicious! What I do when I make spaghetti squash is also roast the seeds on a baking sheet with a little sea salt. Dinner +snack : )
Jenna
October 1, 2010 at 10:55 amI have a spaghetti squash waiting for me at home and after reading your meatball post from last night, I think I have to combine these two posts and make a meal! Yummy!
Lisa
October 1, 2010 at 10:56 amWe love spaghetti squash. It’s such a healthier alternative to pasta!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat)
October 1, 2010 at 10:59 amI usually have to pair spaghetti squash with something ‘heavier’ because it doesn’t fill me up as much as real pasta. I agree, eat it as a side dish or serve with meatballs!
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
October 1, 2010 at 11:01 amI love pasta, so spaghetti squash could never be a substitute for the real thing, but I really need to make it one of these days! This tutorial will definitely help. Thanks Jenna!
Brittney
October 1, 2010 at 11:03 amHaha! They really do look like dinosaur eggs! I like some spaghetti squash on occasion. When done Italian style I think mass amounts of Parmesan is totally necessary 🙂
Lynn @ The Next Chapter
October 1, 2010 at 11:07 amI made a twice baked, stuffed spaghetti squash earlier in the summer. It was fantastic!
megan @ whatmegansmaking
October 1, 2010 at 11:07 amI’m not a huge squash fan, but I’ve always been intrigued by spaghetti squash…I mean it’s just so stringy…
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday
October 1, 2010 at 11:10 amI agree. If I want pasta, I’ll eat pasta.
I like spaghetti squash for what it is. Squash.
It doesn’t need to be a poser.
Tabitha (From Single to Married)
October 1, 2010 at 11:17 amThe more squash the better is my motto! 🙂
Erin @ Travel Eat Repeat
October 1, 2010 at 11:28 amI made spaghetti squash the other night and actually just nuked the squash in the microwave for 15 minutes, then scraped out the insides. Served topped with olive oil, mushrooms, spinach and chickpeas. Perfection.
Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman
October 1, 2010 at 11:34 amI love squash but I’ve never had that type, mainly for the reason you give: Hm, what the heck do I want to do with this?
Heather @ Side of Sneakers
October 1, 2010 at 11:40 amI love spaghetti squash!! Especially mixed with “real” spaghetti noodles….tastes good and keeps the me AND the husband happy haha.
Leah @ Why Deprive?
October 1, 2010 at 11:55 amI’ve never liked the whole low carb thing either. I didnt try spaghetti squash until last year solely for that reason. I do really like it though. I usually mix it with cheese, because really, what doesnt taste good with cheese?
Jil
October 1, 2010 at 11:59 amI definitely like spaghetti squash but it could never replace pasta! haha
Jamie @ Food in Real Life
October 1, 2010 at 12:05 pmI really like spaghetti squash with butter, parmesan cheese and lots of black pepper.
kate
October 1, 2010 at 12:08 pmI just took identical photos for a spag squash post. i love squash!
Lacey @ Lake Life
October 1, 2010 at 12:15 pmI just roasted my first spaghetti squash of the season the other night 🙂
http://keukalace.blogspot.com/2010/09/roasting-in-kitchen.html
I must say this is the first time I’ve seen anyone cook the squash before scooping the seeds out. Is it easier that way?
Lisa D
October 1, 2010 at 12:31 pmTo be honest, I LOVE spag squash, but I never use it to substitute real spag (I am Italian after all!). But simply roasted with butter, salt, and pepper it is the perfect side dish or light lunch. OR, put it in veggie soup to make it heartier – I love it!
Liz
October 1, 2010 at 12:37 pmGood idea… I haven’t had a spaghetti squash in awhile.
The only other time I bought one was when I was taken in by the spaghetti-like APPEARANCE of a cooked spaghetti squash. I wasn’t on a low-carb kick but was on a low-cal kick and figured I could have mounds of this stuff for fewer calories. Some people were singing the praises of it as a pasta substitute.
Well…. it does NOT taste at ALL like pasta. It tastes like a very very very mild squash. It also does not have the texture of pasta. Big upset to my plans to eat bowls of the stuff with pasta sauce. But, it’s great as its own thing! I tried mine with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some minced fresh garlic. Delicious as a side dish. I can only eat so much of the stuff in one sitting or I begin to feel sick, though. So no big bowls of it. Pesto also sounds like a great idea for it, as does the sweet treatment you gave it.
Andrea
October 1, 2010 at 12:40 pmI love the side dish idea. Cinnamon, butter, and brown sugar…i think my boys would actually eat that!
Natalia - a side of simple
October 1, 2010 at 12:58 pmI’ll stick with the last recommendation.. I mean come on.. with this rainy weather we’re having in New England it’s the perfect comfort food 😉
Food & Other Things
October 1, 2010 at 1:02 pmI really like using spaghetti squash as pasta for variety every once in awhile! I bet it was great with your turkey meatballs!
Megan
October 1, 2010 at 1:10 pmI always cook my squash in the microwave. It’s a really simple way to do it. I cut a hole in it an fill it with water. I microwave on high till the ends get tender. When it’s tender I let it sit for a bit to cool it off and then I slice it in half to scoop out the seeds. I’m a big fan of the quick fix meal and this does the trick perfectly.
Paige @Running Around Normal
October 1, 2010 at 1:29 pmI’m not a huge fan of spaghetti squash either! I love my acorn, buttercup, and butternut squashes though!
Shannon, Tropical Eats
October 1, 2010 at 1:40 pmi loved the ending of this post 🙂 i agree with paige, to me, b-nut squashes taste a lot better…but it is good to try to give spaghetti squash a whirl!
Dani
October 1, 2010 at 2:10 pmI love spaghetti squash! In fact, before your earlier post, kobacha squash is something I would have passed at the grocery store and had no clue what to do with, hahah!
karen
October 1, 2010 at 3:36 pmI miss your old blogging style! It’s all just recipes or cooking how-to’s nowadays….. where is Jenna?!
ashley
October 1, 2010 at 10:31 pmagreed! I miss Jenna!
Abbey
October 2, 2010 at 7:10 amI like the recipes, but I miss the old style too. Happy medium?
Lauren at KeepItSweet
October 1, 2010 at 3:57 pmi ate an entire spaghetti squash in 2 lunches this week. love it
Brooke (Baking with Basil)
October 1, 2010 at 4:58 pmLove me some spaghetti squash but there is no subbing for pasta! I like the idea of adding it to pizza…..might have to try that!
Ann
October 1, 2010 at 9:28 pmSpaghetti squash is pretty tasty! I wouldn’t say it’s as great as carbs… but I liked it last time I subbed it for spaghetti!
Nicole
October 1, 2010 at 9:40 pmI’ve loved spaghetti squash for years. Just wanted to add that if you scrape out the seed before baking the squash and wash them off you can roast them like pumpkin seeds – Yum!
Laughter-Loving Stacy
October 1, 2010 at 9:55 pmTHIS is the squash I used to eat everyday. As a part of salad, or “pasta”, or just cinnamon and sugar.
Now I can’t stand the smell of it!
Ha, ha- funny and sad how that happens. Maybe I’ll crave it when I’m preggers in a few years. 😉
Caroline
October 2, 2010 at 6:45 pmI love all of your squash recipes lately….they really do make it feel like Fall. Ahhh…keep them coming!
Alison
October 8, 2012 at 10:45 amI also scoop out the seeds first. Another important thing to note is that spaghetti squash can be VERY hard to cut in half. I put it in the microwave for a few minutes so it’s easier to cut in half.