How to Cook Spaghetti Squash
The best way to cook spaghetti squash, resulting in those perfect spaghetti-like strands that you can use as a substitute for pasta in any dish or simply enjoy as a vegetable side dish seasoned with melted butter or olive oil, salt and pepper!
Ingredients
- 1 whole spaghetti squash
- olive oil or butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F / 205 C. Place the spaghetti squash on a large cutting board and use a sharp knife to carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise from the stem end to the base. If you prefer (purely aesthetics) you can also cut off 1/4 inch or so from each end of the squash. Tip: If your squash is too hard to cut, you can place it whole in the microwave and cook it for a minute or two until it is soft enough to cut. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and loose strands. If you like you can lightly drizzle the squash with some olive oil and season it with salt and pepper, or you can wait until after you've scraped out the flesh to season it.
- Place the halves cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet or in a lightly greased casserole dish. Bake it for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the squash, or until you're able to scrape the flesh out with a fork and the texture is tender but still slightly al dente. Avoid overcooking or it will be mushy and you won't get those nice spaghetti-like strands. If the squash is still too firm, put it back in the oven to cook longer. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the squash over so the cut side is up. Let it sit until it's cool enough to handle, then use a fork to scrape the strands of flesh from the sides of the squash. Store leftover spaghetti squash in a covered container in the fridge where it will keep for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 41mgPotassium: 261mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 290IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
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