Spaghetti Squash

[kirite]

How does one cook a spaghetti squash? Would a tomato sauce with garlic and parsley be a good way to eat it?

Thanks.

[dcs]

I cut it in half length-wise, apply a little oil, and stick it on a pan with the cut edges down in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about an hour (or longer if it is particularly big). Let it cool down a bit and scrape with a fork to create the strands. Tomato sauce with garlic and parsley sounds wonderful.

[Barbara]

How does one cook a spaghetti squash? Would a tomato sauce with garlic and parsley be a good way to eat it?

Thanks.

I use the same method as dcs; however, don't make the mistake of thinking it will taste like any kind of pasta. Try google--you'll get a bunch of info and recipes.

[Pat]

The Moosewood Cookbook recipe for spaghetti squash is good. This looks like it, jumbled up a bit.

And spaghetti squash does not have the texture of pasta. It just pulls into strands like spaghetti.

[kirite]

The Moosewood Cookbook recipe for spaghetti squash is good. This looks like it, jumbled up a bit.

And spaghetti squash does not have the texture of pasta. It just pulls into strands like spaghetti.

Is it less firm than pasta?

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[weezy]

Any sauce that would taste good on zucchini will taste good on spaghetti squash. The strands are more tender than celery strings; maybe like pea tendrils, if that helps.

[KMango]

I have no idea why/how/the mechanisms which make it so, but black olive and feta flavors always seem to pair marvelously with spaghetti squash. We usually cook up a quick tomato sauce while the squash roasts, add the sauce sparingly, sprinkle with the sheep's cheese and kalamata, and enjoy as part of a hearty, veggie-based meal.

We've also headed in a Thai peanut sauce direction, with much success. A good punch of lime and Thai chili makes all the difference.

Have not yet made Smitten Kitchen's cumin/coriander prep, and would bake rather than microwave, but the flavors look quick and promising.

Regarding texture, our favorite method is to bake the face-down halves in a half inch of water---this provides the pleasantly resilient texture while avoiding smoky/burned flavors. As others have noted, spaghetti squash is nothing like pasta, but everything like delicious if sourced well and seasoned honorably. Many forgo those last two criteria and have a bad experience, hence the lack of popularity or ubiquity on winter seasonal menus.

[Pat]

Is it less firm than pasta?

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

It's hard to say, since it's more firm in some ways but not like al dente pasta. Think of strings you take from a pumpkin but ones that are intended to be eaten. Definitely more tender than celery strings, as weezy notes.

There's sort of a slight crunch to it but without being crunchy. Does that make any sense? It maintains its fiber.

[Anna Blume]

I absolutely abhor spaghetti squash when used as a pasta surrogate. Wrong texture, flavorless, watery.

However, I now buy the vegetable every once and a while to roast, scoop out the cooked strands and mix them into a gratin with cream and mushrooms. Delicious and satisfying enough to serve as a main dish with crusty bread and a mug of soup or large salad.

Here's a link to favorite recipe; fresh chanterelles are wonderful, but any good, fresh mushroom will do: Deborah Madison's gratin (Local Flavors). ETA for a new link to a blog with a more faithful version of the original recipe.

[lperry]

I absolutely abhor spaghetti squash when used as a pasta surrogate. Wrong texture, flavorless, watery.

If you rub it with oil and roast cut side up, the watery problem goes away and it has a delicate, sweet flavor. It may be the difference between open roasting and the steaming that takes place when you put the cut side down. I saved some seeds from a particularly good one this year to try in next summer's garden.

[Dr. Delicious]

I absolutely abhor spaghetti squash when used as a pasta surrogate. Wrong texture, flavorless, watery.

I couldn't disagree more, actually. Perhaps when eating it plain this would be true, but who eats this (or pasta) plain?

In fact, as a low carb/low sugar dieter, I've found spaghetti squash to be an essential surrogate for pasta, and a very satisfying one. Also, it can be prepared in advance and leftovers heat up nicely in the microwave.

I guess haters gonna hate

[sandynva]

The most recent time i made this (by microwaving in a dish with 1/2 inch of water) the squash came out somewhat sweet. I found this less than ideal for eating with pasta sauce. does anyone know if there are ways of cooking that minimize the sweetness, or is it just a function of the individual squash you pick?

also, i roasted the seeds like pumpkin seeds. delicious.