This is a guest post by team member Kiran. To learn more about Kiran check out our team page or her website!
Okay, I’m gonna be honest, I had a horrible experience with spaghetti squash in high school. Back then I was all into spaghetti, pasta, and basically anything that was full of refined carbs – thank goodness I found real food! Anyhow, I’d read these fantastic things about this vegetable that tasted almost like regular noodles but had all the benefits of a vegetable. I was sold! I headed to my closest grocery store and picked up a package of already prepared squash “noodles.” I took it home and heated it up, anxious to give my new-found favorite food a taste. But I just about gagged when I took the first bite. The rest went into the trash, and I vowed to never eat this food again.
Flash forward to just a few weeks ago. I was shopping at Trader Joe’s with my youngest, who spotted the snack station. They happened to be serving – you guessed it – spaghetti squash topped with a little marinara. Somewhat hesitant, I still gave it another shot. And this time I was really sold. On the taste. It was so yummy! I started chatting with another customer who gave me some tips on cooking them, and the next thing I knew, I found myself heading to the bin with these oval-shaped goodies. And so I’m here today to tell you about what a great, versatile dish this can make. So whether you’re already a spaghetti squash lover or you’re feeling fearful, I’ve got a great recipe for you to try.
Spaghetti Squash Q&A
Before we get to the recipe, though, let me try to answer your questions:
Q. Does it taste like squash?
A. No. Not to me, at least. Honestly, whatever you top it with will determine the taste of it. I’ve seen recipes with pesto, the obvious marinara, simple butter and Parmesan cheese, and more. It seems that it takes on the taste of the toppings.
Q. Does it taste like regular pasta noodles?
A. Again – no. My opinion. The consistency is different. But different can be good, right?!
Q. Will my kids eat it?
A. You’ll never know until you try :). So give it a shot! I’m happy to report that mine do! In fact, they were a bit worried before trying it but I’m ecstatic to say that all four of them gave it “two thumbs up.” My 10 year-old said it made it into her top 5 favorite foods!
Q. I’ve seen it baked in the oven before. Do I need to do this?
A. There are a few different methods used to cook your spaghetti squash. This is one that works well for me; I find that microwaving it makes it a bit softer so that you can actually cut through it. Trying to slice through a hard squash is a slight bit dangerous, in my opinion, as it’s tough to get the knife through initially.
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Recipe
So without further adieu – here is the recipe for you!
Spaghetti Squash + Roasted Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash about 4 pounds
- 3 pounds roma tomatoes sliced in quarters
- 1 onion large, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic finely diced
- parmesan cheese grated (optional topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Add the onions and tomatoes to one pan, lightly drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Stick them in the oven for 30 minutes while you start to work on the squash.
- Wash the squash well, dry it, and then poke a few holes with a fork to allow air to escape. Place it in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes on high heat. This will soften the skin enough so that you can easily slice a knife through it.
- After the squash cools for a few minutes, slice it in half length-wise, scoop out the seeds, and discard them. Place it skin side down on the other baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, check on the other veggies. Remove the onions when the edges are slightly blackened. Then put the tomatoes back in the oven along with the squash and cook them both for another 30 - 40 minutes. The edges of the squash will start to brown and the "noodles" should be easy to shred when ready. The tomatoes may need to go an extra 10 minutes or so. If they start to brown on the edges a bit; this is ok - it gives the sauce a wonderful flavor.
- Add roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, oregano and salt to high-speed blender. Pulse two to three times, being careful to not over-blend and puree too much - some chunks in the sauce are good!
- Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, shred with a fork by scraping away from the skin. Plate the "noodles" and top with the sauce and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Do you love spaghetti squash? Or have you had an experience similar to mine? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments, and also your topping ideas!
Do you think I could make the sauce ahead of time and freeze until the night I’m planning to use it? I’m a night shift nurse and more I can prep on my days off the better this works, especially for those night when my husband has to do the cooking.
Hi Mandi, yes, this sauce is freezer friendly. – Nicole
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Glad to hear that you came to love spaghetti squash
:-D
Just a note, the phrase is “without further ado”; an ado is a hubbub, a bustle, a flurry, or a fuss. “Adieu” is the French word for “goodbye. Not sure if you meant to say that.
I made Spaghetti squash alfredo with pancetta (or bacon) and peas. Cut squash in half lengthwise and deseed, cook @ 400-25 min. let cool, scrape squash out in strands with a fork. While waiting for it to cook, fry pancetta(or bacon)until crisp, remove from pan, then add 1 sm. diced shallot, thyme 1 tsp., 1/4 c. dry white wine, scraping up sm. bits from bacon until most is evaporated,add 1 1/2 c. heavy cream, pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring until sauce is thick and creamy. Remove from heat, add squash and pancetta, return to medium heat and cook, stirring until combined, about 1 min., sprinkle w/ parsely. This recipe is great and found in Food Networks Oct. 2015, magazine.
Wow sounds good!
We just had this last note! My husband says he likes it better than regular spaghetti!
I am just starting to cook without using something from a box or can. I tried this recipe today and I love it! Never knew how easy it is to make red sauce without using anything from a jar or can! I LOVE red sauce. Looks like I will be buying lots of tomatoes!.
Thanks.
Caroline!
Love the idea of putting it in the crockpot!! Do you prick the outside first??
We adore spaghetti squash. My secret tip is that you can cook it in the CROCK POT! Put a little water in the bottom and just put it in whole. When you get home it’s totally cooked. Just cut in half and “flake” out with your fork.
Caroline, do you prick the outside of the squash before you put it in the crockpot?
My husband and I love this recipe. We try not to eat a lot of pasta, so with this spaghetti squash we get to eat more “Italian”. I just wish my kids would eat it. We’re not giving up yet though. We’ll keep it in our dinner rotation.
https://www.sbothai8.com/
My new favorite way to prepare spaghetti squash is to cook it in my crock pot. I place the whole squash in the pot with 1/2 cup water and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. It is easy to cut open, discard the seeds, and enjoy the rest.
I tried this tonight, and added fresh basil to the roasting tomatoes and onions, and ground turkey to the finished sauce. Amazing!!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you loved it!!
I love spaghetti squash! One trick I do is I place the squash in my salad spinner in a few different batches. And spin all the water out of it. I find if I dont, it turns whatever sauce watery.
Funny timing on this post – I just made spaghetti squash for the first time ever yesterday (in the crockpot – SOOO easy!). My girls were VERY hesitant to try this and before even taking a bite were trying to determine what else they could eat. Then they tried it and LOVED it (even asked for seconds). I will be making this again!!!
How did you make it in the crock pot??