Learn How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Learning how to cook spaghetti squash can add more variety to a diet, as well as more nutrition. Spaghetti squash is a winter squash and goes under other names such as ‘vegetable spaghetti’, “noodle squash”, ‘calabash squash’ and ‘spaghetti marrow’, among others.

Its name comes from the way the pulp or ‘meat’ of the squash resembles strands of spaghetti. It can even be used as a substitute for spaghetti because the flavor is so mild.

Selection and Storage

The traditional spaghetti squash is ripe when it is an all-over yellow color. When selecting spaghetti squash, look for uniform color and no bad spots, soft spots or bruising.

Another variety of spaghetti squash is available, called “Orangetti”. This variety has an orange color and is sweeter than its yellow counterpart is.

Spaghetti squash may be stored at room temperature for approximately a month. To store them for a longer period of time, they must be placed in a cooler environment, with a temperature around 50 degrees.

Tip: If you grow your own spaghetti squash, be sure to keep the blossoms. They can be cleaned and used much the same way as grape leaves. They can be stuffed with rice, vegetables and meat, cooked and served. This is a common practice in Greek cooking. They are completely safe to eat, provided no pesticides have been used on them.

Safe Handling

The safe handling tips for spaghetti squash are much the same as for any vegetable with a tough outer shell, skin or rind.

Be sure to wash thoroughly before cutting or cooking. Use a vegetable scrubber brush to help remove debris. The use of a vegetable wash product is an option.

Once washing is complete, be sure to pat dry well before handling, as it can be slippery due to the relatively smooth surface.

The spaghetti squash will need to have the seeds and attached strings removed. This is very much like the process for cleaning out a pumpkin. However, the pulp can be left in to be cooked in the rind, or it can be removed for cooking separate from the rind.

Preparation

For most recipes, the squash is sliced in half, from end to end. Some will call for the cut to be the other way, right around the middle. The only difference is in how it is going to be used and served.

If you will be cooking it and removing the innards for a recipe, use the option that is easiest for you to work with. For some, the lengthwise halves are easier to scoop; for others, it is the widthwise halves.

Some people prefer to scoop it out cooked, while others like to do so when the squash is still raw. The raw approach takes a lot more strength, but can be accomplished.

Once it is cooked, the innards are easily removed with a fork pulled across the inside. This creates the ‘spaghetti’.

Tip: the seeds do not need to be discarded. They can be roasted and eaten in much the same way as pumpkin seeds.

Healthy Cooking Methods: Oven

The basic way to cook spaghetti squash is to cut it lengthwise (from end to end) and place the halves on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. The halves may be lightly seasoned, and then baked in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 45 minutes. For this method, some prefer to cook the halves face-down, while others prefer to cook them face-up. Face-up can result in some heavier browning on the ‘meat’ of the squash. Aluminum foil can be placed over the squash to help reduce that risk.

Some people prefer to cook the squash whole. This method requires extra care when handling and cutting open. To cook it whole, be sure to poke holes in it before baking. Its best to use a sturdy baking dish and to cook for approximately one hour.

Another way to cook spaghetti squash in the oven is a type of oven steaming.

For oven steaming, the lengthwise halves are placed face-down in a baking dish that has a shallow level of water in it. The squash is then placed in a 375 degree oven and cooked for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Emeril Lagasse has an Herbed Spaghetti Squash recipe posted on the Food Network website that involves baking the squash in the oven. His recipe is very simple and celebrates the natural flavor of the spaghetti squash, by using only the addition of a few basic seasonings.

Healthy Cooking Methods: Microwave Oven

To microwave the squash, doing so whole is not recommended because of the risk of it exploding inside the microwave, even when holes have been poked into it. The safest method is to place one half face-down in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 8 to 12 minutes.

Healthy Cooking Methods: Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

The crock pot or slow cooker method is best for spaghetti squash of a smaller size. This is because the entire squash is placed in the slow cooker with water. How to cook spaghetti squash in a slow cooker is accomplished by piecing the squash first and adding about two cups of water to the crock pot. Cover and let cook on high for seven to nine hours, depending upon the size of the squash and the power of the crock pot (as well as how many times the lid was removed to check the doneness).

References

Spaghetti Squash. Kathy Maister’s Start Cooking. https://startcooking.com/blog/523/Spaghetti-Squash

Discovering Spaghetti Squash. Cheri Sicard. July 29, 2007. https://www.fabulousfoods.com/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&category_id=224&article=19943