What to do with spaghetti squash?
I've had spaghetti squash before and didn't really like it. However, I keep hearing people insist it's a great substitute for pasta. I bought a small one today and need ideas. Any suggestions aside from just pouring red sauce on top?
Any idea would be appreciated but I'd prefer something healthier.
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12 Comments:
Pesto sauce goes great with spaghetti squash. So does dousing it with butter and finely chopped fresh herbs - I like rosemary, thyme and parsley + a little finely chopped garlic + maybe some cayenne (you can also throw in some Parmesan or Pecorino). It's also good with a little EVOO, some rosemary, thyme, parsley and some ricotta cheese.
Oil, vinegar with some finely chopped fresh tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes with some basil garlic is also good - cold or hot. You can also add some cooked Italian sausage - hot or sweet. You can also add some cooked red and green peppers.
MMinNYC at 6:04PM on 10/04/09
@MMinNYC: I like your suggestions. My mistake with spaghetti squash, I think, has been to treat it like spaghetti and put tomato sauce on it, and it gives up water to the sauce and I find it too slurpy.
lemonfair at 6:24PM on 10/04/09
Not super healthy, but not too bad. Cut it in half, nuke it till done. Saute a bit of bacon, add squash strands and lots of parmesan. Yum!
Bumblebutton at 6:25PM on 10/04/09
I usually poke it 5 or 6 times, nuke it till it's done. cut in half, discard seeds, serve as another veggie with butter, salt & pepper. I love the bacon/parmesan version, sounds great!
nightmoon at 6:28PM on 10/04/09
cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, lay it cut side down in a shallow baking dish with some water (no more than a half inch) and bake for 40 minutes at 350, until it's done, just poke a fork in it.
I love it with pasta sauce but at home we usually eat it as a side dish with butter and lots of cracked black pepper. So tasty!
skelton at 7:19PM on 10/04/09
Stay away from the red sauce. I second all the other ideas - spaghetti squash is great!
tapioca at 7:30PM on 10/04/09
After cooking, let cool. Then combine the shreds with beaten eggs and onions (and/or other veggies) and fry up as patties. You can go ten different ways with that...
Garvey at 9:53PM on 10/04/09
chop up some sweet potato and roast. Make a brown sugar glaze and toss cooked sweet potato in that.
Saute up the spaghetti squash with some cherry tomatos and chopped spinach.
Easy and simple dish that can be eaten by itself or with chicken or steak.
phenoderr at 11:58PM on 10/04/09
Do what I do, I don't like spaghetti squash, so I don't eat it. Problem solved.
dmcavanagh at 6:04AM on 10/05/09
That bacon-parm version sounds good, sort of like carbonara. I just might try it tonight. I grew spaghetti squash that was described as being enough for one or two servings, which is perfect for us because my daughter-in-law and I are the only ones who eat it. Bacon might be just the thing to push the guys over the edge to try it.
We usually do butter-olive oil-garlic-Kosher salt-pepper-red pepper.
betteirene at 2:24PM on 10/05/09
MMMM - love spaghetti squash. Cut it in half, place it cut side down on a baking sheet (I line mine with foil and lightly oil foil), roast at 400ºF for about an hour. Pull out shreds with a fork, add a couple of hunks of unsalted butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, and dive in. YUM. I may just have to make that tonight!
@Garvey - I love your idea, definitely have to try that! Do you need any flour or breadcrumbs in there, or does it hold together with just the egg and onion?
CookiePie at 5:07PM on 10/06/09
At school one day for family meal we got eggplant parm with spaghetti squash on the side. Most people didn't care for the squash because they hadn't had it before I guess but I thought it was an awesome way to serve it. I'm actually awaiting a package from my parents with spaghetti squash from their garden in it so I'll have to get creative. I think a pesto will do the trick, I have a TON of leaves to harvest from my basil plant.
VerySmallAnna at 1:15AM on 10/10/09