Spaghetti Squash

Published at

late summer, early fall

This member of the winter squash family is a pretty good keeper, although, again, not as good as a butternut. Some will keep for weeks and weeks, others will begin to develop spots in a week or two. So keep them dry and in a cool place, and keep an eye on them.

As for the contents of that squash, the larger the squash, the larger the strands of “spaghetti” inside. You can bake, steam or microwave the squash and then top it with squash as you would pasta or combine with a creamy squash and bake au gratin, or top with dressing and serve warm or cool. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook.

To steam: Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Set pieces over rack (cut squash again if you need to make it fit) over boiling water. Cover, cook until a finger leaves an indentation in the shell, 20 to 30 minutes. “Comb” out the strands with a wide-tined fork.

To bake: Prick whole squash in several places. Bake at 350 degrees until a finger leaves an indentation in the shell, 35 to 45 minutes. Set on cutting board and halve immediately (so it won’t continue cooking). Scoop out and discard seeds. Pull out strands with a wide-tined fork.

To microwave: Halve squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Set in microwave container, season if you wish, and top with a little oil or butter. Cover and microwave 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then pull out strands with a wide-tined fork.

(2022) Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp

The return of spaghetti squash gives me the chance to offer one more recipe – Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp – from Southern Living. Sort of like shrimp and grits but with spaghetti squash.

(2022) Spaghetti Squash Slaw with Mint, Hazelnuts, and Pomegranate

I found this spaghetti squash slaw recipe at seriouseats.com. That’s what I’m doing with ours this week – but using chopped pecans instead of hazelnuts because the hazelnuts I had in the freezer went into baklava for a recipe we’re publishing in the AJC next week. I’ll probably skip the pomegranate seeds as it’s not really pomegranate season and I am never pleased with those packaged pomegranate seeds in the produce section.

(2019) Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash

If I had that spaghetti squash with me, I’d make this recipe from Everydayfood.com to take advantage of fresh caught Georgia shrimp. Hope there’ll be another squash in the box when we get back.

(2017) Spaghetti Squash with Kale Pesto and Burrata

So I’ll be honest. I have no idea what those greens were in today’s box. But I do know they’ll make good pesto – so where it says “kale” here, substitute “unknown greens.” It’s a recipe from Food 52.

No burratta? Fresh mozzarella will work just fine.

Spaghetti Squash with Squash Seed Broth

I was surprised to see a spaghetti squash in this week’s box, but it’s a great chance to share this recipe from Steven Satterfield of Miller Union and his cookbook, “From Root to Leaf.” Fresh turmeric and ginger are still available at your local farmers market. Typical of Satterfield, he uses every bit of the squash.

North African Spiced Spaghetti Squash

A recipe from “The Sugar Solution Cookbook.” If you’ve tired of savory preparations for this year’s bumper crop of spaghetti squash, try this slightly sweet version.

Curry Spaghetti Squash Cakes

Hilary White of The Hil at Serenbe demonstrated this recipe at the Morningside Farmers Market last year. To cook your spaghetti squash, she recommends preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Split the squash in half and place it on a rimmed baking sheet with a little bit of water. Bake it until it’s tender, remove from the oven and cool. Then she takes out the seeds, and scrapes the squash with a fork to release the “spaghetti.” And then she squeezes the spaghetti in a dish towel to remove excess moisture.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan

Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Brush the flesh with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about Read More…

Spaghetti Squash Pie 2

Yay – spaghetti squash!

Here’s your plan of attack. Wash it. Cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and strings as you would any squash and cook. Microwave: arrange the halves in a microwave-proof dish and lightly cover with waxed paper and cook at high for about 6 minutes. Test squash – it’s done when squash is softened and flesh can be separated into “noodles” using a fork. Oven: arrange halves on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down and bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes. Same test for doneness. In either case, let squash cool slightly before separating into strands.

Now – use the no-cook pasta sauce above and you have a low-carb dinner, or try something completely different and bake a pie.

This is a recipe I tested for the AJC. It comes from a friend for whom this is an old family favorite.

Spaghetti Squash Pie

Using spaghetti squash in a sweet dish might be a surprise, but try this recipe from Vicky Murphy. It will remind you of a chess pie with a twist. “A friend shared [the recipe] with me back in the late 1970s when I first became aware of the squash. You can use almond flavoring or probably most any flavoring you like. I like to serve it with low-cal whipped cream, from the can, not the good stuff, to keep it as low calorie as possible,” Murphy said. She also said you can vary the amount of flavoring up to 2 tablespoons.

If your spaghetti squash provides more “noodles” than needed, toss the remainder in vinaigrette with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil for a quick mock pasta entree.

Herbed Spaghetti Squash with Red Peppers and Walnuts

Cook squash, [See “notes about spaghetti squash for instructions on steaming, roasting, and microwaving.] Heat oil in a medium skillet and cook peppers, garlic and cayenne just until slightly softened. Add vinegar and set aside. When squash is cooked, comb out...

notes about spaghetti squash

How about some ideas for that spaghetti squash? Just a few notes first. The larger the squash, the larger the strands of “spaghetti” inside. You can bake, steam or microwave the squash and then top it with squash as you would pasta or combine with a creamy squash and...