Spaghetti squash (or spaghetti squash) is a healthy vegetable with a mild flavor. The distinctive note of this pumpkin is that, once cooked, you can scrape the pulp with a fork to obtain thin strips that resemble spaghetti. It can be cooked in many ways, but the ideal is to bake it in the oven to give it a more intense and caramelized taste. When cooked, scrape the pulp with a fork and serve with a sauce of your choice.
Ingrediants
- A spaghetti squash weighing about 1 kg
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For 2-4 people
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Bake the Pumpkin Spaghetti in the Oven
Step 1. Place the wire shelf in the center of the oven and turn on the oven at 200 ° C
Adjust the shelf to the right height before turning on the oven. Let the oven warm up while you prepare the squash.
If you want the pumpkin to have a caramelized and roasted taste, set the oven to 220 ° C. Reduce the cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes as the squash will cook faster
Step 2. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise
Hold it steady on the cutting board and divide it in half using a sturdy, sharp kitchen knife. Spaghetti squash stalks are generally quite hard, so don't try to cut them in two with a knife. Cut the pumpkin pulp and then separate the two halves by pulling them in opposite directions with your hands.
Spread a damp kitchen towel on the cutting board to prevent the squash from slipping as you cut it
Step 3. Remove the seeds from the two halves of the pumpkin
Remove the seeds from the pulp by gently scraping it with the tip of a spoon. Also remove any filaments that the seeds are wrapped in, but be careful not to scratch the flesh of the pumpkin.
You can throw the seeds away or roast them in the oven for a healthy and delicious snack
Step 4. Put the two halves of the pumpkin in the pan and season them with a spoon (15 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
The oil will make the pumpkin tastier and prevent it from sticking to the pan. After greasing them, flip the halves over and turn the pulp down.
If you wish, you can also season the pumpkin with salt and pepper
Step 5. Cook the spaghetti squash in the oven for 30 minutes or until the halves have softened
Place the pan in the oven and let the squash cook until soft. To see if it's cooked, pierce the pulp with a butter knife. If you can easily insert and remove it, the pumpkin is ready. If you have trouble getting it out of the pulp, put the squash back in the oven for another 5 minutes, then check again.
If the squash is large, it may take an extra 10-15 minutes to cook
Step 6. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes
At the end of cooking, when it has become completely soft, put on oven gloves and take out the pumpkin. Do not try to turn the pulp into spaghetti immediately because being hot you will find it difficult to handle the pumpkin.
Step 7. Scrape the pumpkin pulp with a fork to make thin strips
Wear an oven mitt so you can hold the pumpkin in the crook of your hand without getting burned. Take a fork and gently scrape the pulp from one end to the other. Very thin strips of soft orange pulp will be produced. Continue scraping until you reach the hard skin of the pumpkin with the tines of the fork.
Step 8. Season the pumpkin noodles to your liking
Transfer them to a bowl and season them to taste with a gravy or sauce. You can also dress them with grated cheese, chopped fresh aromatic herbs and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Try to season pumpkin noodles like you do with authentic noodles. You can prepare a tomato sauce or try your hand at the Alfredo sauce recipe. Also try them with peanut sauce.
- You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can put them in the freezer and store them for up to 3 months.
Suggestion:
if you want to impress your guests, you can serve the spaghetti inside the pumpkin skin. In this case, there is no need to transfer them to a bowl, you can season them directly inside the peel and serve half of the pumpkin on a plate.
Method 2 of 2: Try Variations
Step 1. Cook the spaghetti squash whole if you want to shorten the preparation time
If you don't want to struggle by cutting it in half when raw, you can cook it whole. Make small holes along the surface of the pumpkin using a metal skewer, then place it in the pan. Bake it in the oven at 200 ° C for 60-70 minutes. When cooked, when it has softened, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Turn the squash halfway through cooking using oven mitts.
- Cooking whole squash is easier because once cooked you will have less effort to cut it. However, the spaghetti will not be as flavorful as the pulp will steam rather than caramelize.
Step 2. Cook the whole spaghetti squash in the slow cooker for 3-4 hours to avoid having to intervene during cooking
Hold it still on the cutting board and make incisions along the skin about 1 cm thick. Place the whole pumpkin in the pot and close the lid. If you use the "high" cooking mode, let the squash cook for 3-4 hours. If you use the "low" cooking mode, let it cook for 6-8 hours. When it has softened and cooled so you can handle it, cut it in half lengthwise and empty the seeds.
Variant:
if you want to use the electric pressure cooker, insert the steamer basket into the pot and pour 250 ml of water into it. Place the squash in the basket, secure the lid and cook for 20 minutes. Use the quick steam release feature and when the pumpkin has cooled, cut it in half and remove the seeds.
Step 3. Stuff the two halves of the squash before baking them in the oven
If you want to serve the spaghetti as a main course, place the two halves of the pumpkin in the pan with the pulp facing up. After removing the seeds, you can stuff the pumpkin as you wish and bake it in the oven. For example, you can stuff it with:
- Shredded chicken and sautéed vegetables
- Spinach, cream and cheese;
- Ground beef, corn and black beans
- Ragout and Parmesan.
Step 4. Cut the squash into round slices before baking if you want to make spaghetti even longer
Cut the pumpkin into slices about 3 cm thick. Remove the seeds with a spoon and place the slices on the tin lined pan. Brush the pumpkin pulp with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and bake it in the oven at 200 ° C for 35-40 minutes or until soft.
- When cooked, peel the pumpkin slices with your fingers. Create long spaghetti with a fork following the circumference of the slices.
- Cutting the pumpkin into slices also reduces the cooking time.
