What Do You Do With A Spaghetti Squash Anyway?

Ahhh fall!  Growing up in the Midwest, fall has always been my favorite time of year because of the vibrant colors and crisp bite in the air.  In the sweltering humidity of August, I longed for day when I could throw on a scarf and take a walk through the crunchy red, orange, and gold leaves.  Living in San Francisco, fall has come to take on a slightly new meaning.  Fall is now the time of year when the sun is shining and temperatures reach their peaks.  But even all the way out here on the West Coast, the food of fall remains the same:  apples, pears, chard, sweet potatoes and of course, squash. I have cooked with several different kinds of squash in my day, but had a bit of a phobia about cooking with Spaghetti Squash.  What the heck is it anyway?  How do you cook it?  How should it be prepared?  Spaghetti Squash is a fruit that, when raw, has a solid flesh similar to other squashes.  But when baked, microwaved, steamed or boiled, the flesh of the Spaghetti Squash shreds into ribbons similar to - you guessed it....spaghetti.  It is low cal and very versatile.  It can be served with traditional pasta sauce, pesto, vinaigrette, or vegetables.  Use your imagination!  I opted to bake my squash and it was incredibly easy.  The hardest part was actually cutting the squash open.  I sharpened our best knife, handed it to The Hub and let him have at it! How to Cook a Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Get someone very strong to cut the squash open lengthwise with a sharp knife
3. Scoop out seeds and pulp
4. Place squash in a shallow baking dish or baking sheet, cut side down
5. Pour small amount of water into the dish, until it’s about ¼-inch high
6. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife slides easily into squash
7. Use a fork to shred flesh into a bowl
   

   image from carrotsncake.com

I decided to dress my Spaghetti Squash in a vinaigrette of shallots, lemon, salt, pepper and oil.  I topped it with a few tablespoons of pesto, red chili flakes, and some parmesean, but it seemed to be missing something.  Next time I would prepare it with some chunky tomato sauce, herbs and a crunchy addition like blanched broccoli, diced red peppers or pine nuts. Here are some links to other yummy looking Spaghetti Squash recipes for you to try: Spaghetti Squash Casserole Spaghetti Squash Tacos Southwest Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms and Spinach

3 Responses to “What Do You Do With A Spaghetti Squash Anyway?”

1. Jesse says:

   November 9, 2010 at 1:14 pm

   adding spaghetti squash, in light quantity, to a stir fry is also delicious!

   Reply
2. Devon says:

   November 9, 2010 at 3:09 pm

   Oh, I was just thinking of buying one, but then I didn’t know what I’d do with it! Done and done.

   Reply
3. Julia says:

   November 10, 2010 at 9:03 am

   i’m with dev. i’ve always wanted to try this and have been perplexed/intimidated by the entire idea. now- not so much! can’t wait to try it.

   Reply