How to Prepare Spaghetti Squash
Cravings for comfort food can waylay even the best healthy eating intentions. Satisfy your pasta passion by substituting spaghetti squash for all or part of the noodles. The vegetable strands hold traditional pasta sauces well as an entrée or serve as a delicious and unusual side dish. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Microwave Preparation
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1
Cut the squash in half. A larger chef's knife will make this easier, as the rind and flesh are hard to cut through before they are cooked. Scoop out the seeds.
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2
Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish, cut sides down.
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3
Poke the rinds five or six times with a fork, at random spots across the surface.
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4
Pour water into the dish, to about 1/4 inch. Cover the dish with plastic wrap that you have vented with a fork..
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5
Microwave on high until the squash is soft and the flesh begins to pull away in strings.
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6
Pull the veggie "pasta" from the shell with a fork to separate the strands.
Oven Preparation
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7
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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8
Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds.
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9
Place the cut sides down in a baking dish.
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10
Pierce the rind with a fork several times.
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11
Add 1/2 inch of water to the dish.
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12
Bake the squash until tender, adding water to the dish as necessary.
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13
Pull the flesh out with a fork.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Serve your spaghetti squash with your favorite pasta sauce. Alternately, create a side dish by adding butter, garlic powder and onion powder and topping it with Parmesan cheese. Or, toss it with butter, chili powder, black olives and grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
The time required to cook your squash will depend on its size. Check it after about five minutes in the microwave or 15 minutes in the oven, and continue to check frequently until it is soft.
References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
